Dade County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.8 | 16,165 people · 144th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Dade County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.8 — 1353rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Georgia, it ranks 144th of 159 counties. It scores lower 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. Dade County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 86.4 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 86.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 61
Legal Distress 80.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Consumer Credit Distress 58.9
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 92
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 37
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 65
Structural Poverty 46.5
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 60
Housing Cost Burden 24.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dade County
Dade County, GA 53.8 Elevated —
Walker County, GA 73.4 Serious +19.6
Marion County, TN 63.7 Elevated +9.9
Hamilton County, TN 60.5 Elevated +6.7
DeKalb County, AL 57.7 Elevated +3.9
Jackson County, AL 55.1 Elevated +1.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dade County
Newton County, IN 53.8 Elevated -0.0
Union County, KY 53.8 Elevated +0.0
Vinton County, OH 53.7 Elevated -0.0
Polk County, MO 53.8 Elevated +0.0
Upshur County, WV 53.7 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dade 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 Dade 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Dade County has a County Distress Index score of 53.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,353rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 144th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dade County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dade County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 86.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Dade County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dade County (53.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Walker County, GA (73.4); Marion County, TN (63.7); Hamilton County, TN (60.5).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Dade County's score of 53.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Dade 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 Dade County?

    Dade County, Georgia has a population of approximately 16,165 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.