Ware County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Crisis · 83.4 | 36,243 people · 11th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Ware County, GA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 83.4 — 28th 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 11th of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ware County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 97.5 — worse than roughly 98% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 97.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 86.9
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 82.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 59
Homeownership Rate 91
Structural Poverty 79.7
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 96
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 37
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Economic Vitality 61.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ware County
Ware County, GA 83.4 Crisis —
Charlton County, GA 82.5 Crisis -0.9
Atkinson County, GA 74.4 Serious -9.0
Coffee County, GA 71.1 Serious -12.4
Clinch County, GA 68.4 Serious -15.0
Bacon County, GA 68.1 Serious -15.4
Baker County, FL 67.7 Serious -15.7
Brantley County, GA 67.0 Serious -16.5
Pierce County, GA 64.7 Elevated -18.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ware County
St. Francis County, AR 83.3 Crisis -0.1
Crisp County, GA 83.1 Crisis -0.3
Hertford County, NC 82.9 Crisis -0.5
Holmes County, MS 82.7 Crisis -0.8
Edgecombe County, NC 82.6 Crisis -0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ware 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 Ware 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 Ware County, Georgia?

    Ware County has a County Distress Index score of 83.4 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 28th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ware County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ware County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 97.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Ware County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ware County (83.4) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Charlton County, GA (82.5); Atkinson County, GA (74.4); Coffee County, GA (71.1).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Ware County's score of 83.4 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Ware 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 Ware County?

    Ware County, Georgia has a population of approximately 36,243 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.