Lamar County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.4 | 20,401 people · 117th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Lamar County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.4 — 753rd 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 117th of 159 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lamar County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 84.3 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 84.3
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 88
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 90
Legal Distress 73.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Structural Poverty 50.5
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Housing Cost Burden 36.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 40
Economic Vitality 31.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 93

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lamar County
Lamar County, GA 63.4 Elevated —
Spalding County, GA 85.1 Crisis +21.8
Upson County, GA 79.6 Serious +16.2
Butts County, GA 77.7 Serious +14.3
Pike County, GA 57.6 Elevated -5.8
Monroe County, GA 55.2 Elevated -8.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lamar County
Saline County, MO 63.4 Elevated 0.0
Jasper County, GA 63.4 Elevated -0.0
Knott County, KY 63.3 Elevated -0.1
Clarke County, AL 63.3 Elevated -0.1
Lincoln County, WV 63.5 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lamar 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 Lamar 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 Lamar County, Georgia?

    Lamar County has a County Distress Index score of 63.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 753rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 117th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lamar County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lamar County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 84.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lamar County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lamar County (63.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Spalding County, GA (85.1); Upson County, GA (79.6); Butts County, GA (77.7).

  • 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). Lamar County's score of 63.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lamar 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 Lamar County?

    Lamar County, Georgia has a population of approximately 20,401 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.