Effingham County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.5 | 71,541 people · 139th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Effingham County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.5 — 1233rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Georgia, it ranks 139th 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. Effingham County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.9 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Consumer Credit Distress 72.9
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 62
Subprime Credit Population 81
Economic Vitality 72.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 63
Housing Cost Burden 29.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 17
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 26
Structural Poverty 11.3
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Effingham County
Effingham County, GA 55.5 Elevated —
Chatham County, GA 79.0 Serious +23.5
Bulloch County, GA 74.4 Serious +18.8
Hampton County, SC 73.3 Serious +17.8
Screven County, GA 70.8 Serious +15.2
Jasper County, SC 59.3 Elevated +3.7
Bryan County, GA 55.9 Elevated +0.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Effingham County
Johnston County, NC 55.5 Elevated -0.1
Coos County, OR 55.7 Elevated +0.1
Charlotte County, FL 55.4 Elevated -0.1
Tippecanoe County, IN 55.8 Elevated +0.2
Madison County, MS 55.3 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Effingham 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 Effingham 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 Effingham County, Georgia?

    Effingham County has a County Distress Index score of 55.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,233rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 139th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Effingham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Effingham County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Effingham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Effingham County (55.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Chatham County, GA (79.0); Bulloch County, GA (74.4); Hampton County, SC (73.3).

  • 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). Effingham County's score of 55.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Effingham 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 Effingham County?

    Effingham County, Georgia has a population of approximately 71,541 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.