Cherokee County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.3 | 286,602 people · 154th most distressed in Georgia
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Cherokee County, GA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.3 — 1754th 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 154th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cherokee County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.0 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 33
Legal Distress 69.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Economic Vitality 65.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Consumer Credit Distress 37.1
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 34
Structural Poverty 5.5
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 3
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 3
Disability Rate 9
Transfer Income Dependency 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cherokee County
Cherokee County, GA 47.3 Normal —
Fulton County, GA 68.0 Serious +20.6
Bartow County, GA 67.4 Serious +20.0
Gordon County, GA 62.3 Elevated +15.0
Cobb County, GA 61.0 Elevated +13.7
Pickens County, GA 57.8 Elevated +10.4
Dawson County, GA 51.8 Elevated +4.5
Forsyth County, GA 29.8 Healthy -17.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cherokee County
Ocean County, NJ 47.3 Normal -0.0
Ventura County, CA 47.3 Normal -0.1
Anchorage Municipality, AK 47.6 Normal +0.3
Onondaga County, NY 47.6 Normal +0.3
Ramsey County, MN 47.6 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cherokee County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Cherokee County.

HORIZON COUNSELING INC.
Woodstock
888-315-4326 Website
Reverse Mortgage

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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee County, Georgia?

    Cherokee County has a County Distress Index score of 47.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,754th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 154th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cherokee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cherokee County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cherokee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cherokee County (47.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Fulton County, GA (68.0); Bartow County, GA (67.4); Gordon County, GA (62.3).

  • 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 Normal 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). Cherokee County's score of 47.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Cherokee 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 Cherokee County?

    Cherokee County, Georgia has a population of approximately 286,602 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.