Dawson County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.8 | 31,732 people · 147th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Dawson County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.8 — 1464th 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 147th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dawson County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 75.6 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 75.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Legal Distress 71.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Housing Cost Burden 56.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 27
Consumer Credit Distress 53.6
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 34
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Uninsured Rate 82
Subprime Credit Population 53
Structural Poverty 11.8
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 17
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dawson County
Dawson County, GA 51.8 Elevated —
Hall County, GA 62.8 Elevated +10.9
Lumpkin County, GA 58.4 Elevated +6.6
Pickens County, GA 57.8 Elevated +6.0
Fannin County, GA 50.9 Elevated -1.0
Cherokee County, GA 47.3 Normal -4.5
Gilmer County, GA 46.5 Normal -5.3
Forsyth County, GA 29.8 Healthy -22.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dawson County
Branch County, MI 51.8 Elevated -0.0
Montgomery County, IN 51.9 Elevated +0.0
Morgan County, OH 51.8 Elevated -0.1
Orleans County, NY 51.9 Elevated +0.1
San Juan County, UT 51.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dawson 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 Dawson 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 Dawson County, Georgia?

    Dawson County has a County Distress Index score of 51.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,464th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 147th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dawson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dawson County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 75.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Dawson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dawson County (51.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Hall County, GA (62.8); Lumpkin County, GA (58.4); Pickens County, GA (57.8).

  • 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). Dawson County's score of 51.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Dawson 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 Dawson County?

    Dawson County, Georgia has a population of approximately 31,732 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.