Decatur County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 78.7 | 29,087 people · 29th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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

Decatur County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 78.7 — 88th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Georgia, it ranks 29th of 159 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Decatur County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 95.4 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 95.4
Debt in Collections 97
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 88
Subprime Credit Population 99
Legal Distress 92.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Structural Poverty 67.8
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 91
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 59
Housing Cost Burden 55.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 30
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 90
Economic Vitality 54.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 53
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 81

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Decatur County
Decatur County, GA 78.7 Serious —
Mitchell County, GA 87.7 Crisis +8.9
Gadsden County, FL 84.5 Crisis +5.8
Grady County, GA 80.4 Crisis +1.7
Miller County, GA 73.4 Serious -5.3
Baker County, GA 69.3 Serious -9.5
Seminole County, GA 67.1 Serious -11.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Decatur County
Sunflower County, MS 78.7 Serious -0.0
Lanier County, GA 78.7 Serious -0.1
Hardee County, FL 78.6 Serious -0.2
Kleberg County, TX 78.6 Serious -0.2
Panola County, MS 79.0 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Decatur 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 Decatur 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 Decatur County, Georgia?

    Decatur County has a County Distress Index score of 78.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 88th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Decatur County?

    The primary driver of distress in Decatur County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 95.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Decatur County compare to neighboring counties?

    Decatur County (78.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mitchell County, GA (87.7); Gadsden County, FL (84.5); Grady County, GA (80.4).

  • 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). Decatur County's score of 78.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Decatur 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 Decatur County?

    Decatur County, Georgia has a population of approximately 29,087 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.