Tattnall County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.2 | 24,296 people · 106th most distressed in Georgia
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Tattnall County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.2 — 592nd 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 106th of 159 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Tattnall County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.6 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.6
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 94
Structural Poverty 74.2
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 96
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 85
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Economic Vitality 55.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 52
House Price Change (YoY) 39
Legal Distress 50.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51
Housing Cost Burden 27.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Tattnall County
Tattnall County, GA 66.2 Serious —
Liberty County, GA 79.0 Serious +12.8
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious +8.3
Long County, GA 73.2 Serious +7.0
Evans County, GA 72.6 Serious +6.4
Candler County, GA 72.5 Serious +6.2
Toombs County, GA 69.7 Serious +3.4
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious +3.4
Appling County, GA 62.3 Elevated -4.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Tattnall County
Newberry County, SC 66.3 Serious +0.0
Choctaw County, AL 66.2 Serious -0.1
Glacier County, MT 66.2 Serious -0.1
Alcorn County, MS 66.3 Serious +0.1
Crenshaw County, AL 66.3 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Tattnall 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 Tattnall 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 Tattnall County, Georgia?

    Tattnall County has a County Distress Index score of 66.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 592nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 106th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tattnall County?

    The primary driver of distress in Tattnall County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Tattnall County compare to neighboring counties?

    Tattnall County (66.2) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Liberty County, GA (79.0); Wayne County, GA (74.5); Long County, GA (73.2).

  • 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). Tattnall County's score of 66.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Tattnall 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 Tattnall County?

    Tattnall County, Georgia has a population of approximately 24,296 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.