Wayne County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.5 | 31,373 people · 49th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Wayne County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.5 — 207th 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 49th of 159 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wayne County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 90.5 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.5
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 93
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 91
Legal Distress 77.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Structural Poverty 65.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 85
Disability Rate 65
Transfer Income Dependency 73
Housing Cost Burden 58.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 82
Economic Vitality 43.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 42
Rent-to-Income Ratio 58
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious —
McIntosh County, GA 74.3 Serious -0.3
Long County, GA 73.2 Serious -1.3
Glynn County, GA 67.2 Serious -7.4
Brantley County, GA 67.0 Serious -7.6
Tattnall County, GA 66.2 Serious -8.3
Pierce County, GA 64.7 Elevated -9.9
Appling County, GA 62.3 Elevated -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Jefferson County, GA 74.5 Serious -0.0
Elbert County, GA 74.6 Serious +0.0
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious +0.0
Lee County, SC 74.6 Serious +0.1
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wayne 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 Wayne 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Georgia →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Wayne County, Georgia?

    Wayne County has a County Distress Index score of 74.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 207th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 49th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wayne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wayne County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Wayne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wayne County (74.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: McIntosh County, GA (74.3); Long County, GA (73.2); Glynn County, GA (67.2).

  • 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). Wayne County's score of 74.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Wayne 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 Wayne County?

    Wayne County, Georgia has a population of approximately 31,373 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.