Fannin County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.9 | 25,955 people · 149th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Fannin County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.9 — 1530th 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 149th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Fannin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 78.5 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 78.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Consumer Credit Distress 56.6
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 35
Structural Poverty 54.7
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 53
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 85
Transfer Income Dependency 73
Economic Vitality 43.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 20
House Price Change (YoY) 34
Housing Cost Burden 30.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 15
Homeownership Rate 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fannin County
Fannin County, GA 50.9 Elevated —
Murray County, GA 67.2 Serious +16.4
Polk County, TN 61.5 Elevated +10.6
Lumpkin County, GA 58.4 Elevated +7.5
Dawson County, GA 51.8 Elevated +1.0
Cherokee County, NC 48.0 Normal -2.8
Gilmer County, GA 46.5 Normal -4.4
Union County, GA 40.2 Normal -10.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fannin County
Trousdale County, TN 50.9 Elevated -0.0
Clay County, TX 50.9 Elevated +0.0
Lassen County, CA 50.8 Elevated -0.0
Madison County, NC 50.9 Elevated +0.1
Carbon County, UT 50.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fannin 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 Fannin 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 Fannin County, Georgia?

    Fannin County has a County Distress Index score of 50.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,530th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 149th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fannin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fannin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 78.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Fannin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fannin County (50.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Murray County, GA (67.2); Polk County, TN (61.5); Lumpkin County, GA (58.4).

  • 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 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). Fannin County's score of 50.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Fannin 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 Fannin County?

    Fannin County, Georgia has a population of approximately 25,955 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.