Elbert County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.6 | 20,013 people · 48th most distressed in Georgia
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Elbert County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.6 — 205th 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 48th of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Elbert County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.6 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.6
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 73
Subprime Credit Population 90
Economic Vitality 71.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 57
Structural Poverty 71.2
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 84
Legal Distress 66.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Housing Cost Burden 54.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 76

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Elbert County
Elbert County, GA 74.6 Serious —
Wilkes County, GA 66.8 Serious -7.8
Lincoln County, GA 63.7 Elevated -10.9
Hart County, GA 62.4 Elevated -12.2
Madison County, GA 61.8 Elevated -12.8
Oglethorpe County, GA 61.1 Elevated -13.4
Abbeville County, SC 58.0 Elevated -16.6
Anderson County, SC 57.8 Elevated -16.8
McCormick County, SC 46.7 Normal -27.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Elbert County
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious +0.0
Lee County, SC 74.6 Serious +0.0
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious -0.0
Jefferson County, GA 74.5 Serious -0.0
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Elbert 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 Elbert 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 Elbert County, Georgia?

    Elbert County has a County Distress Index score of 74.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 205th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Elbert County?

    The primary driver of distress in Elbert County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Elbert County compare to neighboring counties?

    Elbert County (74.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Wilkes County, GA (66.8); Lincoln County, GA (63.7); Hart County, GA (62.4).

  • 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). Elbert County's score of 74.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Elbert 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 Elbert County?

    Elbert County, Georgia has a population of approximately 20,013 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.