Lowndes County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 79.7 | 120,712 people · 24th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Lowndes County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 79.7 — 71st 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 24th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lowndes County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 96.7 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 96.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 86.9
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 97
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Uninsured Rate 88
Subprime Credit Population 93
Housing Cost Burden 80.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 96
Economic Vitality 67.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 60
Structural Poverty 52.7
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 49
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 46

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lowndes County
Lowndes County, GA 79.7 Serious —
Brooks County, GA 81.0 Crisis +1.3
Cook County, GA 80.7 Crisis +1.0
Lanier County, GA 78.7 Serious -1.0
Hamilton County, FL 74.9 Serious -4.8
Madison County, FL 68.2 Serious -11.5
Berrien County, GA 67.6 Serious -12.1
Echols County, GA 66.3 Serious -13.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lowndes County
Robeson County, NC 79.6 Serious -0.0
Liberty County, GA 79.0 Serious -0.6
Starr County, TX 80.3 Crisis +0.6
Cumberland County, NJ 78.8 Serious -0.8
Orangeburg County, SC 78.7 Serious -1.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lowndes 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 Lowndes 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 Lowndes County, Georgia?

    Lowndes County has a County Distress Index score of 79.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 71st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lowndes County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lowndes County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 96.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lowndes County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lowndes County (79.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Brooks County, GA (81.0); Cook County, GA (80.7); Lanier County, GA (78.7).

  • 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 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). Lowndes County's score of 79.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lowndes 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 Lowndes County?

    Lowndes County, Georgia has a population of approximately 120,712 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.