Clay County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.7 | 2,853 people · 78th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Clay County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.7 — 408th 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 78th of 159 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

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

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Structural Poverty 92.5
Unemployment Rate 90
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 82.4
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 95
Economic Vitality 68.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Housing Cost Burden 20.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Clay County, GA 69.7 Serious —
Randolph County, GA 84.9 Crisis +15.3
Early County, GA 77.9 Serious +8.3
Barbour County, AL 72.1 Serious +2.4
Calhoun County, GA 71.9 Serious +2.2
Quitman County, GA 70.0 Serious +0.3
Henry County, AL 57.9 Elevated -11.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Zavala County, TX 69.7 Serious +0.1
Tillman County, OK 69.8 Serious +0.1
Treutlen County, GA 69.5 Serious -0.2
Foard County, TX 69.5 Serious -0.2
Hardeman County, TX 69.9 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County, Georgia?

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 69.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 408th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 78th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clay County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clay County (69.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Randolph County, GA (84.9); Early County, GA (77.9); Barbour County, AL (72.1).

  • 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). Clay County's score of 69.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Clay 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, Georgia has a population of approximately 2,853 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.