Chatham County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 79.0 | 303,655 people · 28th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Chatham County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 79.0 — 84th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Georgia, it ranks 28th of 159 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Chatham County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 89.5 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 89.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 86.8
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 96
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 82
Subprime Credit Population 86
Legal Distress 86.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Economic Vitality 72.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Structural Poverty 35.6
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 12
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 47
Transfer Income Dependency 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chatham County
Chatham County, GA 79.0 Serious —
Liberty County, GA 79.0 Serious +0.0
Jasper County, SC 59.3 Elevated -19.8
Bryan County, GA 55.9 Elevated -23.1
Effingham County, GA 55.5 Elevated -23.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chatham County
Polk County, FL 79.0 Serious -0.1
Osceola County, FL 79.1 Serious +0.1
Hidalgo County, TX 79.2 Serious +0.2
Webb County, TX 78.4 Serious -0.7
Henry County, GA 78.3 Serious -0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chatham County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Chatham County.

CCCS OF THE SAVANNAH AREA, INC.
Savannah
912-691-2227
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
CREDIT.ORG - SAVANNAH, GA BRANCH
Savannah
912-303-7584 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 Chatham 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 Chatham County, Georgia?

    Chatham County has a County Distress Index score of 79.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 84th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chatham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chatham County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 89.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Chatham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chatham County (79.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Liberty County, GA (79.0); Jasper County, SC (59.3); Bryan County, GA (55.9).

  • 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). Chatham County's score of 79.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Chatham 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 Chatham County?

    Chatham County, Georgia has a population of approximately 303,655 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.