Polk County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Crisis · 80.3 | 44,223 people · 21st most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Polk County, GA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 80.3 — 59th 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 21st of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Polk County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 89.5 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 89.5
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 85
Subprime Credit Population 88
Legal Distress 87.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Housing Cost Burden 80.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 28
Homeownership Rate 86
Structural Poverty 60.8
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 67
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Economic Vitality 54.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 89

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Polk County
Polk County, GA 80.3 Crisis —
Floyd County, GA 77.0 Serious -3.2
Bartow County, GA 67.4 Serious -12.9
Haralson County, GA 65.0 Elevated -15.3
Paulding County, GA 63.4 Elevated -16.9
Cherokee County, AL 56.6 Elevated -23.7
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated -25.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Polk County
Concordia Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis -0.0
St. Bernard Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis +0.1
Webster Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis +0.1
Grady County, GA 80.4 Crisis +0.2
Sumter County, GA 80.0 Crisis -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County, Georgia?

    Polk County has a County Distress Index score of 80.3 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 59th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Polk County?

    The primary driver of distress in Polk County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 89.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Polk County compare to neighboring counties?

    Polk County (80.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Floyd County, GA (77.0); Bartow County, GA (67.4); Haralson County, GA (65.0).

  • 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). Polk County's score of 80.3 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Polk 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 Polk County?

    Polk County, Georgia has a population of approximately 44,223 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.