Turner County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.0 | 8,909 people · 67th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Turner County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.0 — 317th 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 67th of 159 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Turner County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 89.8
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 93
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 82
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 83.5
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Economic Vitality 56.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 65
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 25.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 13
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 87

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Turner County
Turner County, GA 72.0 Serious —
Crisp County, GA 83.1 Crisis +11.1
Ben Hill County, GA 77.3 Serious +5.4
Worth County, GA 76.7 Serious +4.8
Tift County, GA 70.2 Serious -1.8
Irwin County, GA 68.8 Serious -3.2
Wilcox County, GA 67.6 Serious -4.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Turner County
Calhoun County, GA 71.9 Serious -0.1
Marion County, GA 71.9 Serious -0.1
Lake County, TN 71.8 Serious -0.1
Dallas County, AR 72.3 Serious +0.3
Hancock County, TN 72.7 Serious +0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Turner 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 Turner 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 Turner County, Georgia?

    Turner County has a County Distress Index score of 72.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 317th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Turner County?

    The primary driver of distress in Turner County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Turner County compare to neighboring counties?

    Turner County (72.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Crisp County, GA (83.1); Ben Hill County, GA (77.3); Worth County, GA (76.7).

  • 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). Turner County's score of 72.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Turner 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 Turner County?

    Turner County, Georgia has a population of approximately 8,909 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.