Laurens County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.8 | 49,941 people · 47th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Laurens County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.8 — 195th 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 47th of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Laurens County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 90.0 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.0
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 92
Legal Distress 74.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Housing Cost Burden 69.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 14
Homeownership Rate 84
Structural Poverty 62.8
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 55
Transfer Income Dependency 69
Economic Vitality 27.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 11
House Price Change (YoY) 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Laurens County
Laurens County, GA 74.8 Serious —
Dodge County, GA 74.0 Serious -0.8
Wilkinson County, GA 73.0 Serious -1.8
Bleckley County, GA 71.6 Serious -3.2
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious -5.2
Treutlen County, GA 69.5 Serious -5.3
Twiggs County, GA 67.6 Serious -7.2
Wheeler County, GA 66.7 Serious -8.1
Johnson County, GA 62.4 Elevated -12.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Laurens County
Richmond County, NC 74.8 Serious +0.0
Okmulgee County, OK 74.8 Serious -0.0
Claiborne Parish, LA 74.8 Serious +0.0
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious +0.1
DeSoto County, FL 74.9 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Laurens 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 Laurens 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Laurens County has a County Distress Index score of 74.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 195th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Laurens County?

    The primary driver of distress in Laurens County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Laurens County compare to neighboring counties?

    Laurens County (74.8) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Dodge County, GA (74.0); Wilkinson County, GA (73.0); Bleckley County, GA (71.6).

  • 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). Laurens County's score of 74.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Laurens 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 Laurens County?

    Laurens County, Georgia has a population of approximately 49,941 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.