Jeff Davis County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.9 | 14,906 people · 113th most distressed in Georgia
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Jeff Davis County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.9 — 712th 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 113th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jeff Davis County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 86.8 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 86.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Structural Poverty 81.5
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 77
Consumer Credit Distress 73.2
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 48
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 95
Economic Vitality 49.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 31.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 23
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 40
Homeownership Rate 76

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jeff Davis County
Jeff Davis County, GA 63.9 Elevated —
Telfair County, GA 77.3 Serious +13.3
Coffee County, GA 71.1 Serious +7.1
Toombs County, GA 69.7 Serious +5.8
Bacon County, GA 68.1 Serious +4.2
Wheeler County, GA 66.7 Serious +2.8
Montgomery County, GA 62.8 Elevated -1.1
Appling County, GA 62.3 Elevated -1.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jeff Davis County
Levy County, FL 63.9 Elevated 0.0
Sabine Parish, LA 63.9 Elevated +0.0
Newton County, MS 64.0 Elevated +0.1
Fannin County, TX 63.9 Elevated -0.1
Henry County, KY 64.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Jeff Davis County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis County, Georgia?

    Jeff Davis County has a County Distress Index score of 63.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 712th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 113th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jeff Davis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jeff Davis County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 86.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Jeff Davis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jeff Davis County (63.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Telfair County, GA (77.3); Coffee County, GA (71.1); Toombs County, GA (69.7).

  • 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 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). Jeff Davis County's score of 63.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Jeff Davis County's CDI score?

    Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis County?

    Jeff Davis County, Georgia has a population of approximately 14,906 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.