Charlton County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Crisis · 82.5 | 12,934 people · 14th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Charlton County, GA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 82.5 — 37th 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 14th of 159 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Charlton County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 93.2 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 93.2
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 95
Legal Distress 84.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Structural Poverty 73.3
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 63
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Housing Cost Burden 70.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 29
Economic Vitality 68.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 59

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Charlton County
Charlton County, GA 82.5 Crisis —
Ware County, GA 83.4 Crisis +0.9
Camden County, GA 68.2 Serious -14.3
Baker County, FL 67.7 Serious -14.8
Brantley County, GA 67.0 Serious -15.6
Nassau County, FL 49.0 Normal -33.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Charlton County
Edgecombe County, NC 82.6 Crisis +0.1
Holmes County, MS 82.7 Crisis +0.1
Vance County, NC 82.3 Crisis -0.3
Hertford County, NC 82.9 Crisis +0.4
Morehouse Parish, LA 82.1 Crisis -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Charlton 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 Charlton 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Charlton County has a County Distress Index score of 82.5 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 37th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Charlton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Charlton County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 93.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Charlton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Charlton County (82.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ware County, GA (83.4); Camden County, GA (68.2); Baker County, FL (67.7).

  • 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). Charlton County's score of 82.5 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Charlton 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 Charlton County?

    Charlton County, Georgia has a population of approximately 12,934 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.