Carroll County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.9 | 127,098 people · 39th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Carroll County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.9 — 131st 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 39th 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. Carroll County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.5 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Consumer Credit Distress 83.3
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 90
Housing Cost Burden 82.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 73
Economic Vitality 80.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 80
Structural Poverty 34.8
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 11
Child Poverty Rate 51
Disability Rate 42
Transfer Income Dependency 31

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Carroll County
Carroll County, GA 76.9 Serious —
Douglas County, GA 78.0 Serious +1.0
Heard County, GA 69.2 Serious -7.7
Fulton County, GA 68.0 Serious -9.0
Randolph County, AL 66.1 Serious -10.8
Haralson County, GA 65.0 Elevated -12.0
Paulding County, GA 63.4 Elevated -13.5
Coweta County, GA 55.3 Elevated -21.6
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated -22.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Carroll County
Liberty County, TX 76.9 Serious +0.0
Jefferson County, AR 77.0 Serious +0.1
Nacogdoches County, TX 77.0 Serious +0.1
Floyd County, GA 77.0 Serious +0.1
Anderson County, TX 76.8 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Carroll 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 Carroll 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 Carroll County, Georgia?

    Carroll County has a County Distress Index score of 76.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 131st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Carroll County?

    The primary driver of distress in Carroll County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Carroll County compare to neighboring counties?

    Carroll County (76.9) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Douglas County, GA (78.0); Heard County, GA (69.2); Fulton County, GA (68.0).

  • 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). Carroll County's score of 76.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Carroll 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 Carroll County?

    Carroll County, Georgia has a population of approximately 127,098 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.