Clarke County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.6 | 129,933 people · 56th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Clarke County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.6 — 244th 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 56th of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clarke County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 95.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 73.6
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 79
Legal Distress 65.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 66
Economic Vitality 65.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 29
Structural Poverty 48.3
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clarke County
Clarke County, GA 73.6 Serious —
Barrow County, GA 68.1 Serious -5.5
Madison County, GA 61.8 Elevated -11.8
Oglethorpe County, GA 61.1 Elevated -12.4
Jackson County, GA 51.4 Elevated -22.2
Oconee County, GA 18.6 Healthy -55.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clarke County
Henderson County, TX 73.6 Serious +0.0
Hunt County, TX 73.6 Serious +0.1
Etowah County, AL 73.5 Serious -0.1
Walker County, GA 73.4 Serious -0.2
Kaufman County, TX 73.8 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clarke County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Clarke County.

ATHENS LAND TRUST, INC
Athens
706-613-0122 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
HANCOCK COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Athens
706-546-1154 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase

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 Clarke 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 Clarke County, Georgia?

    Clarke County has a County Distress Index score of 73.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 244th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clarke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clarke County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Clarke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clarke County (73.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Barrow County, GA (68.1); Madison County, GA (61.8); Oglethorpe County, GA (61.1).

  • 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). Clarke County's score of 73.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Clarke 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 Clarke County?

    Clarke County, Georgia has a population of approximately 129,933 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.