Stephens County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.4 | 27,228 people · 60th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Stephens County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.4 — 252nd 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 60th of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Stephens County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.3 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.3
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 83
Subprime Credit Population 78
Legal Distress 73.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Structural Poverty 68.7
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 63
Transfer Income Dependency 77
Housing Cost Burden 58.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 61
Economic Vitality 49.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Stephens County
Stephens County, GA 73.4 Serious —
Franklin County, GA 64.1 Elevated -9.3
Habersham County, GA 55.6 Elevated -17.8
Banks County, GA 54.4 Elevated -19.0
Oconee County, SC 47.0 Normal -26.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Stephens County
Macon County, GA 73.4 Serious 0.0
Tate County, MS 73.4 Serious -0.0
Hampton County, SC 73.3 Serious -0.1
Chattooga County, GA 73.5 Serious +0.1
Zapata County, TX 73.3 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens County, Georgia?

    Stephens County has a County Distress Index score of 73.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 252nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 60th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stephens County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stephens County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Stephens County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stephens County (73.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Franklin County, GA (64.1); Habersham County, GA (55.6); Banks County, GA (54.4).

  • 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). Stephens County's score of 73.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Stephens 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 Stephens County?

    Stephens County, Georgia has a population of approximately 27,228 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.