Long County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.2 | 19,594 people · 62nd most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Long County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.2 — 260th 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 62nd of 159 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Long County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.9 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.9
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 95
Legal Distress 80.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Economic Vitality 65.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Housing Cost Burden 61.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 82
Homeownership Rate 88
Structural Poverty 50.3
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 65
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Long County
Long County, GA 73.2 Serious —
Liberty County, GA 79.0 Serious +5.8
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious +1.3
McIntosh County, GA 74.3 Serious +1.0
Tattnall County, GA 66.2 Serious -7.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Long County
Poinsett County, AR 73.2 Serious -0.0
Clay County, MS 73.3 Serious +0.0
Zapata County, TX 73.3 Serious +0.1
Hampton County, SC 73.3 Serious +0.1
Cross County, AR 73.2 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Long 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 Long 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 Long County, Georgia?

    Long County has a County Distress Index score of 73.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 260th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Long County?

    The primary driver of distress in Long County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Long County compare to neighboring counties?

    Long County (73.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Liberty County, GA (79.0); Wayne County, GA (74.5); McIntosh County, GA (74.3).

  • 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). Long County's score of 73.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Long 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 Long County?

    Long County, Georgia has a population of approximately 19,594 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.