McDuffie County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Crisis · 81.5 | 21,799 people · 17th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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McDuffie County, GA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 81.5 — 47th 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 17th of 159 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McDuffie County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 89.3 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 89.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Consumer Credit Distress 89.0
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 94
Housing Cost Burden 76.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 84
Economic Vitality 71.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 20
House Price Change (YoY) 11
Structural Poverty 66.8
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 82

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McDuffie County
McDuffie County, GA 81.5 Crisis —
Richmond County, GA 89.2 Crisis +7.6
Jefferson County, GA 74.5 Serious -7.0
Warren County, GA 67.7 Serious -13.9
Wilkes County, GA 66.8 Serious -14.7
Lincoln County, GA 63.7 Elevated -17.8
Columbia County, GA 48.0 Normal -33.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McDuffie County
Halifax County, NC 81.7 Crisis +0.1
Scotland County, NC 81.2 Crisis -0.3
Williamsburg County, SC 81.1 Crisis -0.4
Mississippi County, MO 82.0 Crisis +0.4
Brooks County, GA 81.0 Crisis -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in McDuffie 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 McDuffie 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 McDuffie County, Georgia?

    McDuffie County has a County Distress Index score of 81.5 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 47th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McDuffie County?

    The primary driver of distress in McDuffie County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 89.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does McDuffie County compare to neighboring counties?

    McDuffie County (81.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Richmond County, GA (89.2); Jefferson County, GA (74.5); Warren County, GA (67.7).

  • 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 Crisis 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). McDuffie County's score of 81.5 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    McDuffie 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 McDuffie County?

    McDuffie County, Georgia has a population of approximately 21,799 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.