Morgan County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.6 | 21,460 people · 145th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Morgan County, GA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.6 — 1423rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Georgia, it ranks 145th of 159 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Morgan County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 72.4 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 72.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Legal Distress 71.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Consumer Credit Distress 64.2
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 59
Subprime Credit Population 54
Housing Cost Burden 30.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 18
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 48
Structural Poverty 24.8
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 29
Transfer Income Dependency 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Morgan County
Morgan County, GA 52.6 Elevated —
Newton County, GA 82.7 Crisis +30.0
Walton County, GA 68.5 Serious +15.8
Putnam County, GA 65.3 Serious +12.7
Jasper County, GA 63.4 Elevated +10.7
Greene County, GA 48.1 Normal -4.5
Oconee County, GA 18.6 Healthy -34.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Morgan County
Cannon County, TN 52.7 Elevated +0.0
Northampton County, VA 52.6 Elevated -0.1
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated +0.1
Starke County, IN 52.5 Elevated -0.1
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan County, Georgia?

    Morgan County has a County Distress Index score of 52.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,423rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 145th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Morgan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Morgan County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 72.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Morgan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Morgan County (52.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Newton County, GA (82.7); Walton County, GA (68.5); Putnam County, GA (65.3).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Morgan County's score of 52.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Morgan 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 Morgan County?

    Morgan County, Georgia has a population of approximately 21,460 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.