Bulloch County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.4 | 84,327 people · 53rd most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Bulloch County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.4 — 212th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Georgia, it ranks 53rd 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. Bulloch County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 80.9 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 80.9
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 91
Housing Cost Burden 77.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 97
Legal Distress 70.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Economic Vitality 68.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 65
Structural Poverty 53.5
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 51
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bulloch County
Bulloch County, GA 74.4 Serious —
Jenkins County, GA 72.7 Serious -1.7
Evans County, GA 72.6 Serious -1.8
Candler County, GA 72.5 Serious -1.9
Screven County, GA 70.8 Serious -3.6
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious -4.8
Bryan County, GA 55.9 Elevated -18.4
Effingham County, GA 55.5 Elevated -18.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bulloch County
Calhoun County, AL 74.5 Serious +0.1
Bowie County, TX 74.3 Serious -0.1
Forrest County, MS 74.6 Serious +0.2
Oktibbeha County, MS 74.6 Serious +0.3
Sumter County, SC 74.1 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bulloch County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Bulloch County.

CCCS OF THE SAVANNAH AREA, INC. - STATESBORO BRANCH
STATESBORO
912-691-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Georgia →

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 Bulloch 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Georgia →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Bulloch County has a County Distress Index score of 74.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 212th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bulloch County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bulloch County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 80.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Bulloch County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bulloch County (74.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jenkins County, GA (72.7); Evans County, GA (72.6); Candler County, GA (72.5).

  • 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 Serious 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). Bulloch County's score of 74.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bulloch 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 Bulloch County?

    Bulloch County, Georgia has a population of approximately 84,327 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.