Echols County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.3 | 3,709 people · 105th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Echols County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.3 — 588th 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 105th 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. Echols County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 81.3 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 81.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 76
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Legal Distress 78.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Consumer Credit Distress 77.3
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 52.2
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 37
Housing Cost Burden 41.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 38
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Echols County
Echols County, GA 66.3 Serious —
Lowndes County, GA 79.7 Serious +13.4
Lanier County, GA 78.7 Serious +12.4
Hamilton County, FL 74.9 Serious +8.6
Columbia County, FL 71.0 Serious +4.7
Clinch County, GA 68.4 Serious +2.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Echols County
Norton city, VA 65.9 Serious -0.4
Benton County, MS 66.7 Serious +0.4
Wheeler County, GA 66.7 Serious +0.5
Clay County, WV 66.8 Serious +0.5
Wilkes County, GA 66.8 Serious +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Echols 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 Echols 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 Echols County, Georgia?

    Echols County has a County Distress Index score of 66.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 588th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 105th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Echols County?

    The primary driver of distress in Echols County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 81.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Echols County compare to neighboring counties?

    Echols County (66.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lowndes County, GA (79.7); Lanier County, GA (78.7); Hamilton County, FL (74.9).

  • 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). Echols County's score of 66.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Echols 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 Echols County?

    Echols County, Georgia has a population of approximately 3,709 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.