Burke County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 78.0 | 24,438 people · 32nd most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Burke County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 78.0 — 104th 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 32nd of 159 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Burke County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 91.1 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 91.1
Debt in Collections 96
Medical Debt 91
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 97
Legal Distress 77.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Structural Poverty 73.1
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 47
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Housing Cost Burden 71.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 58
Economic Vitality 33.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 20
House Price Change (YoY) 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Burke County
Burke County, GA 78.0 Serious —
Richmond County, GA 89.2 Crisis +11.2
Barnwell County, SC 77.4 Serious -0.6
Jefferson County, GA 74.5 Serious -3.4
Jenkins County, GA 72.7 Serious -5.3
Screven County, GA 70.8 Serious -7.2
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious -8.4
Allendale County, SC 67.3 Serious -10.7
Aiken County, SC 59.9 Elevated -18.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Burke County
Bradford County, FL 78.0 Serious -0.0
Sequatchie County, TN 78.0 Serious +0.1
Early County, GA 77.9 Serious -0.1
Washington County, NC 78.1 Serious +0.1
Hardeman County, TN 77.8 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Burke 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 Burke 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 Burke County, Georgia?

    Burke County has a County Distress Index score of 78.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 104th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Burke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Burke County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 91.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Burke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Burke County (78.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Richmond County, GA (89.2); Barnwell County, SC (77.4); Jefferson County, GA (74.5).

  • 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). Burke County's score of 78.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Burke 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 Burke County?

    Burke County, Georgia has a population of approximately 24,438 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.