Tift County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.2 | 41,554 people · 75th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Tift County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.2 — 379th 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 75th of 159 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Tift County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 87.2
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 93
Structural Poverty 52.8
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 15
Transfer Income Dependency 49
Housing Cost Burden 47.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 40
Homeownership Rate 92
Economic Vitality 39.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 73

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Tift County
Tift County, GA 70.2 Serious —
Cook County, GA 80.7 Crisis +10.5
Worth County, GA 76.7 Serious +6.5
Turner County, GA 72.0 Serious +1.8
Colquitt County, GA 71.9 Serious +1.7
Irwin County, GA 68.8 Serious -1.4
Berrien County, GA 67.6 Serious -2.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Tift County
Morris County, TX 70.2 Serious -0.0
Clarke County, MS 70.1 Serious -0.1
New Madrid County, MO 70.1 Serious -0.1
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious -0.2
Floyd County, KY 70.4 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Tift 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 Tift 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 Tift County, Georgia?

    Tift County has a County Distress Index score of 70.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 379th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 75th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tift County?

    The primary driver of distress in Tift County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Tift County compare to neighboring counties?

    Tift County (70.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Cook County, GA (80.7); Worth County, GA (76.7); Turner County, GA (72.0).

  • 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 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). Tift County's score of 70.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Tift 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 Tift County?

    Tift County, Georgia has a population of approximately 41,554 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.