Lee County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.5 | 33,872 people · 115th most distressed in Georgia
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Lee County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.5 — 741st 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 115th of 159 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lee County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.6 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Housing Cost Burden 75.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 55
Consumer Credit Distress 70.5
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 52
Subprime Credit Population 85
Economic Vitality 43.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 72
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 42
Structural Poverty 16.4
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 13
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 29
Disability Rate 22
Transfer Income Dependency 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, GA 63.5 Elevated —
Dougherty County, GA 87.3 Crisis +23.8
Crisp County, GA 83.1 Crisis +19.6
Sumter County, GA 80.0 Crisis +16.5
Worth County, GA 76.7 Serious +13.2
Terrell County, GA 75.6 Serious +12.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Hopkins County, TX 63.5 Elevated 0.0
Allen County, KY 63.5 Elevated +0.0
Jasper County, TX 63.5 Elevated +0.0
Lincoln County, WV 63.5 Elevated -0.0
Chowan County, NC 63.6 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lee 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 Lee 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 63.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 741st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 115th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (63.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Dougherty County, GA (87.3); Crisp County, GA (83.1); Sumter County, GA (80.0).

  • 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 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). Lee County's score of 63.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lee 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 Lee County?

    Lee County, Georgia has a population of approximately 33,872 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.