Butts County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 77.7 | 26,887 people · 35th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Butts County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.7 — 113th 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 35th of 159 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Butts County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 90.8 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.8
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 97
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 91
Housing Cost Burden 77.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 66
Legal Distress 73.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Economic Vitality 56.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Structural Poverty 49.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 46
Transfer Income Dependency 59

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Butts County
Butts County, GA 77.7 Serious —
Spalding County, GA 85.1 Crisis +7.5
Newton County, GA 82.7 Crisis +5.0
Henry County, GA 78.3 Serious +0.7
Lamar County, GA 63.4 Elevated -14.3
Jasper County, GA 63.4 Elevated -14.3
Monroe County, GA 55.2 Elevated -22.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Butts County
Hendry County, FL 77.7 Serious +0.0
Natchitoches Parish, LA 77.5 Serious -0.1
Avoyelles Parish, LA 77.8 Serious +0.2
Anson County, NC 77.5 Serious -0.2
Hardeman County, TN 77.8 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Butts 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 Butts 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 Butts County, Georgia?

    Butts County has a County Distress Index score of 77.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 113th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Butts County?

    The primary driver of distress in Butts County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Butts County compare to neighboring counties?

    Butts County (77.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Spalding County, GA (85.1); Newton County, GA (82.7); Henry County, GA (78.3).

  • 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). Butts County's score of 77.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Butts 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 Butts County?

    Butts County, Georgia has a population of approximately 26,887 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.