Jefferson County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.5 | 15,183 people · 50th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Jefferson County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.5 — 208th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Georgia, it ranks 50th of 159 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 8 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jefferson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 89.3 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 89.3
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 92
Legal Distress 82.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Structural Poverty 80.0
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 94
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Economic Vitality 48.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 14
House Price Change (YoY) 73
Housing Cost Burden 47.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 78

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, GA 74.5 Serious —
Richmond County, GA 89.2 Crisis +14.6
McDuffie County, GA 81.5 Crisis +7.0
Washington County, GA 79.0 Serious +4.5
Burke County, GA 78.0 Serious +3.4
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious -4.9
Warren County, GA 67.7 Serious -6.9
Johnson County, GA 62.4 Elevated -12.2
Glascock County, GA 60.6 Elevated -13.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious +0.0
Elbert County, GA 74.6 Serious +0.0
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious +0.1
Lee County, SC 74.6 Serious +0.1
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Georgia →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 74.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 208th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 89.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (74.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Richmond County, GA (89.2); McDuffie County, GA (81.5); Washington County, GA (79.0).

  • 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). Jefferson County's score of 74.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Georgia has a population of approximately 15,183 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.