Brooks County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Crisis · 81.0 | 16,245 people · 18th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Brooks County, GA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 81.0 — 52nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Georgia, it ranks 18th of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Brooks County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 93.5
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 76.6
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Economic Vitality 68.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 11
Housing Cost Burden 57.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 44
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 44
Homeownership Rate 69

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Brooks County
Brooks County, GA 81.0 Crisis —
Cook County, GA 80.7 Crisis -0.3
Lowndes County, GA 79.7 Serious -1.3
Thomas County, GA 75.5 Serious -5.5
Hamilton County, FL 74.9 Serious -6.1
Colquitt County, GA 71.9 Serious -9.1
Madison County, FL 68.2 Serious -12.8
Jefferson County, FL 64.4 Elevated -16.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Brooks County
Jim Wells County, TX 81.0 Crisis -0.0
Williamsburg County, SC 81.1 Crisis +0.1
Scotland County, NC 81.2 Crisis +0.2
Cook County, GA 80.7 Crisis -0.3
McDuffie County, GA 81.5 Crisis +0.5

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Brooks County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Brooks County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Brooks County residents at no cost.

Atlanta Legal Aid Society 404-524-5811
Georgia Legal Services Program 1-888-257-4567
Georgia Legal Aid
State Bar of Georgia Lawyer Referral Service 404-527-8700

Self-Help Resources

Georgia Legal Aid — Housing Self-help guides for Georgia foreclosure process, rights, and defenses
DCA Georgia HAF Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Brooks County, Georgia?

    Brooks County has a County Distress Index score of 81.0 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 52nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brooks County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brooks County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Brooks County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brooks County (81.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Cook County, GA (80.7); Lowndes County, GA (79.7); Thomas County, GA (75.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Crisis zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Brooks County's score of 81.0 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

  • What data sources power Brooks County's CDI score?

    Brooks County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Brooks County?

    Brooks County, Georgia has a population of approximately 16,245 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.