Taliaferro County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.4 | 1,609 people · 74th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Taliaferro County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.4 — 376th 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 74th of 159 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Taliaferro County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.0 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Consumer Credit Distress 87.6
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 88
Structural Poverty 85.1
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 84
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Economic Vitality 68.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Housing Cost Burden 17.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 13
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Taliaferro County
Taliaferro County, GA 70.4 Serious —
Hancock County, GA 85.9 Crisis +15.5
Warren County, GA 67.7 Serious -2.7
Wilkes County, GA 66.8 Serious -3.6
Oglethorpe County, GA 61.1 Elevated -9.2
Greene County, GA 48.1 Normal -22.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Taliaferro County
Oregon County, MO 70.5 Serious +0.1
Webster County, WV 70.5 Serious +0.2
Wolfe County, KY 70.5 Serious +0.2
Perry County, AL 70.7 Serious +0.3
Liberty County, FL 70.0 Serious -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Taliaferro 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 Taliaferro 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 Taliaferro County, Georgia?

    Taliaferro County has a County Distress Index score of 70.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 376th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 74th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Taliaferro County?

    The primary driver of distress in Taliaferro County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Taliaferro County compare to neighboring counties?

    Taliaferro County (70.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Hancock County, GA (85.9); Warren County, GA (67.7); Wilkes County, GA (66.8).

  • 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). Taliaferro County's score of 70.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Taliaferro 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 Taliaferro County?

    Taliaferro County, Georgia has a population of approximately 1,609 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.