McIntosh County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.3 | 11,501 people · 54th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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McIntosh County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.3 — 217th 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 54th of 159 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McIntosh County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 76.8 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 76.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Economic Vitality 76.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 86
Consumer Credit Distress 75.6
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 91
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 84
Housing Cost Burden 71.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 18
Structural Poverty 71.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 81

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McIntosh County
McIntosh County, GA 74.3 Serious —
Liberty County, GA 79.0 Serious +4.8
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious +0.3
Long County, GA 73.2 Serious -1.0
Glynn County, GA 67.2 Serious -7.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McIntosh County
Attala County, MS 74.2 Serious -0.0
Clarendon County, SC 74.4 Serious +0.1
Copiah County, MS 74.2 Serious -0.1
Red River County, TX 74.2 Serious -0.1
Greene County, AR 74.1 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in McIntosh 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 McIntosh 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 McIntosh County, Georgia?

    McIntosh County has a County Distress Index score of 74.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 217th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McIntosh County?

    The primary driver of distress in McIntosh County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 76.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does McIntosh County compare to neighboring counties?

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

  • 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). McIntosh County's score of 74.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    McIntosh 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 McIntosh County?

    McIntosh County, Georgia has a population of approximately 11,501 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.