Meriwether County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.1 | 20,931 people · 41st most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Meriwether County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.1 — 154th 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 41st 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. Meriwether County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.4 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 91.8
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 96
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 96
Structural Poverty 70.9
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 87
Transfer Income Dependency 76
Housing Cost Burden 57.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 87
Homeownership Rate 69
Economic Vitality 31.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 30
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Meriwether County
Meriwether County, GA 76.1 Serious —
Spalding County, GA 85.1 Crisis +9.0
Troup County, GA 82.3 Crisis +6.2
Upson County, GA 79.6 Serious +3.5
Talbot County, GA 74.4 Serious -1.7
Pike County, GA 57.6 Elevated -18.6
Coweta County, GA 55.3 Elevated -20.8
Harris County, GA 43.9 Normal -32.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Meriwether County
Willacy County, TX 76.2 Serious +0.1
Dillon County, SC 76.0 Serious -0.1
Jackson County, FL 76.3 Serious +0.2
Wayne County, MS 75.9 Serious -0.3
Danville city, VA 76.4 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Meriwether 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 Meriwether 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 Meriwether County, Georgia?

    Meriwether County has a County Distress Index score of 76.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 154th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Meriwether County?

    The primary driver of distress in Meriwether County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Meriwether County compare to neighboring counties?

    Meriwether County (76.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Spalding County, GA (85.1); Troup County, GA (82.3); Upson County, GA (79.6).

  • 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). Meriwether County's score of 76.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Meriwether 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 Meriwether County?

    Meriwether County, Georgia has a population of approximately 20,931 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.