Stewart County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.9 | 4,674 people · 102nd most distressed in Georgia
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Stewart County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.9 — 555th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Georgia, it ranks 102nd of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Stewart County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 93.2 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 93.2
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Consumer Credit Distress 78.8
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 34
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 95
Legal Distress 59.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Economic Vitality 44.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Housing Cost Burden 36.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 94

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Stewart County
Stewart County, GA 66.9 Serious —
Russell County, AL 86.5 Crisis +19.6
Randolph County, GA 84.9 Crisis +18.1
Barbour County, AL 72.1 Serious +5.2
Marion County, GA 71.9 Serious +5.0
Quitman County, GA 70.0 Serious +3.1
Webster County, GA 62.0 Elevated -4.9
Chattahoochee County, GA 58.1 Elevated -8.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Stewart County
Hickory County, MO 66.8 Serious -0.0
Wilkes County, GA 66.8 Serious -0.1
Clay County, WV 66.8 Serious -0.1
Wheeler County, GA 66.7 Serious -0.1
Benton County, MS 66.7 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stewart 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 Stewart 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 Stewart County, Georgia?

    Stewart County has a County Distress Index score of 66.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 555th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 102nd in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stewart County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stewart County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 93.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Stewart County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stewart County (66.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Russell County, AL (86.5); Randolph County, GA (84.9); Barbour County, AL (72.1).

  • 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). Stewart County's score of 66.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Stewart 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 Stewart County?

    Stewart County, Georgia has a population of approximately 4,674 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.