Gwinnett County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.5 | 983,526 people · 85th most distressed in Georgia
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Gwinnett County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.5 — 460th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Georgia, it ranks 85th of 159 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Gwinnett County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 93.2 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 93.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 96
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 81
Legal Distress 86.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Economic Vitality 70.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 75
Consumer Credit Distress 68.8
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 77
Structural Poverty 16.4
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 37
Disability Rate 1
Transfer Income Dependency 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gwinnett County
Gwinnett County, GA 68.5 Serious —
Rockdale County, GA 84.4 Crisis +15.9
DeKalb County, GA 75.7 Serious +7.2
Walton County, GA 68.5 Serious -0.0
Barrow County, GA 68.1 Serious -0.4
Fulton County, GA 68.0 Serious -0.5
Hall County, GA 62.8 Elevated -5.7
Jackson County, GA 51.4 Elevated -17.1
Forsyth County, GA 29.8 Healthy -38.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gwinnett County
Leon County, FL 68.2 Serious -0.3
Oklahoma County, OK 68.9 Serious +0.4
Genesee County, MI 68.0 Serious -0.5
Passaic County, NJ 68.0 Serious -0.5
Merced County, CA 67.7 Serious -0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gwinnett 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 Gwinnett 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 Gwinnett County, Georgia?

    Gwinnett County has a County Distress Index score of 68.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 460th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 85th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gwinnett County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gwinnett County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 93.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Gwinnett County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gwinnett County (68.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Rockdale County, GA (84.4); DeKalb County, GA (75.7); Walton County, GA (68.5).

  • 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). Gwinnett County's score of 68.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Gwinnett 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 Gwinnett County?

    Gwinnett County, Georgia has a population of approximately 983,526 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.