Macon County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.4 | 11,817 people · 58th most distressed in Georgia
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Macon County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.4 — 250th 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 58th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Macon County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 91.6 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 91.6
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 81.5
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Legal Distress 66.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Housing Cost Burden 45.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 92
Economic Vitality 39.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 37
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Macon County
Macon County, GA 73.4 Serious —
Sumter County, GA 80.0 Crisis +6.6
Taylor County, GA 80.0 Crisis +6.6
Peach County, GA 75.5 Serious +2.1
Houston County, GA 68.6 Serious -4.8
Crawford County, GA 67.8 Serious -5.6
Dooly County, GA 64.7 Elevated -8.7
Schley County, GA 57.6 Elevated -15.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Macon County
Stephens County, GA 73.4 Serious 0.0
Tate County, MS 73.4 Serious -0.0
Hampton County, SC 73.3 Serious -0.1
Chattooga County, GA 73.5 Serious +0.1
Zapata County, TX 73.3 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Macon 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 Macon 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 Macon County, Georgia?

    Macon County has a County Distress Index score of 73.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 250th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Macon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Macon County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 91.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Macon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Macon County (73.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Sumter County, GA (80.0); Taylor County, GA (80.0); Peach County, GA (75.5).

  • 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). Macon County's score of 73.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Macon 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 Macon County?

    Macon County, Georgia has a population of approximately 11,817 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.