Dooly County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.7 | 10,981 people · 109th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Dooly County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.7 — 654th 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 109th of 159 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dooly County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.3 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.3
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 94
Structural Poverty 78.4
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Legal Distress 54.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55
Economic Vitality 50.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Housing Cost Burden 21.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 81

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dooly County
Dooly County, GA 64.7 Elevated —
Crisp County, GA 83.1 Crisis +18.4
Sumter County, GA 80.0 Crisis +15.3
Pulaski County, GA 75.5 Serious +10.8
Macon County, GA 73.4 Serious +8.7
Houston County, GA 68.6 Serious +3.9
Wilcox County, GA 67.6 Serious +2.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dooly County
Hill County, TX 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Adair County, KY 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Pierce County, GA 64.7 Elevated -0.1
Morgan County, KY 64.7 Elevated -0.1
Wharton County, TX 64.7 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly County, Georgia?

    Dooly County has a County Distress Index score of 64.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 654th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 109th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dooly County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dooly County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Dooly County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dooly County (64.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Crisp County, GA (83.1); Sumter County, GA (80.0); Pulaski County, GA (75.5).

  • 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). Dooly County's score of 64.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Dooly 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 Dooly County?

    Dooly County, Georgia has a population of approximately 10,981 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.