Clayton County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Crisis · 88.0 | 298,300 people · 3rd most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Clayton County, GA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 88.0 — 5th 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 3rd 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. Clayton County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Housing Cost Burden 96.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 95.9
Debt in Collections 99
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 99
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 99
Economic Vitality 69.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Structural Poverty 53.3
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clayton County
Clayton County, GA 88.0 Crisis —
Spalding County, GA 85.1 Crisis -2.8
Henry County, GA 78.3 Serious -9.7
DeKalb County, GA 75.7 Serious -12.3
Fulton County, GA 68.0 Serious -20.0
Fayette County, GA 52.1 Elevated -35.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clayton County
Baltimore city, MD 81.9 Crisis -6.1
Shelby County, TN 81.3 Crisis -6.7
Hidalgo County, TX 79.2 Serious -8.8
Osceola County, FL 79.1 Serious -8.9
Chatham County, GA 79.0 Serious -9.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clayton 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 Clayton 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Clayton County has a County Distress Index score of 88.0 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 5th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clayton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clayton County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clayton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clayton County (88.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Spalding County, GA (85.1); Henry County, GA (78.3); DeKalb County, GA (75.7).

  • 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). Clayton County's score of 88.0 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Clayton 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 Clayton County?

    Clayton County, Georgia has a population of approximately 298,300 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.