Haralson County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 65.0 | 32,038 people · 108th most distressed in Georgia
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Haralson County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 65.0 — 642nd 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 108th of 159 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Haralson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 85.7 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 85.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Consumer Credit Distress 79.9
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 81
Economic Vitality 52.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 31
House Price Change (YoY) 77
Structural Poverty 51.6
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 65
Transfer Income Dependency 52
Housing Cost Burden 39.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 66

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Haralson County
Haralson County, GA 65.0 Elevated —
Polk County, GA 80.3 Crisis +15.3
Carroll County, GA 76.9 Serious +12.0
Paulding County, GA 63.4 Elevated -1.6
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated -10.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Haralson County
Vernon Parish, LA 64.9 Elevated -0.0
Lincoln County, MS 64.9 Elevated -0.0
Val Verde County, TX 64.9 Elevated -0.1
Upshur County, TX 65.0 Serious +0.1
Monroe County, TN 64.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Haralson 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 Haralson 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 Haralson County, Georgia?

    Haralson County has a County Distress Index score of 65.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 642nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 108th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Haralson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Haralson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 85.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Haralson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Haralson County (65.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Polk County, GA (80.3); Carroll County, GA (76.9); Paulding County, GA (63.4).

  • 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). Haralson County's score of 65.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Haralson 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 Haralson County?

    Haralson County, Georgia has a population of approximately 32,038 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.