Worth County, Georgia

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.7 | 20,273 people · 40th most distressed in Georgia
American Default Research

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Worth County, GA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.7 — 137th 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 40th of 159 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Worth County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.9 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 84.2
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 85
Subprime Credit Population 88
Economic Vitality 71.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Structural Poverty 69.8
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 68
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Housing Cost Burden 60.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 57
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Worth County
Worth County, GA 76.7 Serious —
Mitchell County, GA 87.7 Crisis +10.9
Dougherty County, GA 87.3 Crisis +10.5
Crisp County, GA 83.1 Crisis +6.4
Turner County, GA 72.0 Serious -4.8
Colquitt County, GA 71.9 Serious -4.9
Tift County, GA 70.2 Serious -6.5
Lee County, GA 63.5 Elevated -13.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Worth County
Sumter County, AL 76.7 Serious 0.0
Martinsville city, VA 76.7 Serious -0.0
Terry County, TX 76.8 Serious +0.0
Bertie County, NC 76.6 Serious -0.1
Mississippi County, AR 76.8 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Worth County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Worth County.

FAMILY VISIONS OUTREACH, INC.
SYLVESTER
229-777-7704 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in Georgia →

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 Worth 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 Worth County, Georgia?

    Worth County has a County Distress Index score of 76.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 137th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Georgia out of 159 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Worth County?

    The primary driver of distress in Worth County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Worth County compare to neighboring counties?

    Worth County (76.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Mitchell County, GA (87.7); Dougherty County, GA (87.3); Crisp County, GA (83.1).

  • 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 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). Worth County's score of 76.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Worth 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 Worth County?

    Worth County, Georgia has a population of approximately 20,273 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.