Grady County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Crisis · 80.4 | 26,066 people · 20th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Grady County, GA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 80.4 — 55th 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 20th of 159 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Grady County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.1 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Consumer Credit Distress 89.5
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 97
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 96
Subprime Credit Population 89
Housing Cost Burden 78.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 86
Structural Poverty 65.0
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 62
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 63
Economic Vitality 54.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 86

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Grady County
Grady County, GA 80.4 Crisis —
Mitchell County, GA 87.7 Crisis +7.2
Gadsden County, FL 84.5 Crisis +4.1
Decatur County, GA 78.7 Serious -1.7
Thomas County, GA 75.5 Serious -4.9
Leon County, FL 68.2 Serious -12.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Grady County
Webster Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis -0.1
St. Bernard Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis -0.1
Polk County, GA 80.3 Crisis -0.2
Concordia Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis -0.2
Cook County, GA 80.7 Crisis +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Grady 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 Grady 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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Grady County, Georgia?

    Grady County has a County Distress Index score of 80.4 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 55th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grady County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grady County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Grady County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grady County (80.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Mitchell County, GA (87.7); Gadsden County, FL (84.5); Decatur County, GA (78.7).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Grady County's score of 80.4 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Grady 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 Grady County?

    Grady County, Georgia has a population of approximately 26,066 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.