Toombs County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.7 | 27,040 people · 77th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Toombs County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.7 — 406th 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 77th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Toombs County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.2 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.3
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 92
Subprime Credit Population 93
Structural Poverty 77.7
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 94
Disability Rate 54
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Economic Vitality 56.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Legal Distress 46.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Housing Cost Burden 42.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 36
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 83

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Toombs County
Toombs County, GA 69.7 Serious —
Candler County, GA 72.5 Serious +2.8
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious -0.0
Treutlen County, GA 69.5 Serious -0.2
Tattnall County, GA 66.2 Serious -3.4
Jeff Davis County, GA 63.9 Elevated -5.8
Montgomery County, GA 62.8 Elevated -6.9
Appling County, GA 62.3 Elevated -7.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Toombs County
Glades County, FL 69.7 Serious -0.0
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious +0.0
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious -0.0
Pickens County, AL 69.6 Serious -0.1
Conecuh County, AL 69.7 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Toombs 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 Toombs 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 Toombs County, Georgia?

    Toombs County has a County Distress Index score of 69.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 406th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 77th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Toombs County?

    The primary driver of distress in Toombs County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Toombs County compare to neighboring counties?

    Toombs County (69.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Candler County, GA (72.5); Emanuel County, GA (69.6); Treutlen County, GA (69.5).

  • 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). Toombs County's score of 69.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Toombs 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 Toombs County?

    Toombs County, Georgia has a population of approximately 27,040 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.