Hall County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.8 | 217,267 people · 120th most distressed in Georgia
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Hall County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.8 — 782nd 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 120th of 159 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hall County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 82.4 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 82.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 68
Homeownership Rate 74
Legal Distress 76.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Consumer Credit Distress 65.3
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 92
Subprime Credit Population 66
Economic Vitality 60.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 12
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Structural Poverty 16.1
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 31
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hall County
Hall County, GA 62.8 Elevated —
Gwinnett County, GA 68.5 Serious +5.7
Barrow County, GA 68.1 Serious +5.3
Lumpkin County, GA 58.4 Elevated -4.4
Habersham County, GA 55.6 Elevated -7.2
White County, GA 55.1 Elevated -7.7
Banks County, GA 54.4 Elevated -8.3
Dawson County, GA 51.8 Elevated -10.9
Jackson County, GA 51.4 Elevated -11.4
Forsyth County, GA 29.8 Healthy -33.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hall County
Cherokee County, TX 62.8 Elevated 0.0
Muskingum County, OH 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Walker County, AL 62.6 Elevated -0.1
Midland County, TX 62.9 Elevated +0.1
Craven County, NC 62.6 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hall 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 Hall 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 Hall County, Georgia?

    Hall County has a County Distress Index score of 62.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 782nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 120th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hall County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hall County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 82.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hall County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hall County (62.8) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Gwinnett County, GA (68.5); Barrow County, GA (68.1); 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). Hall County's score of 62.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Hall 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 Hall County?

    Hall County, Georgia has a population of approximately 217,267 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.