Bamberg County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 79.8 | 12,974 people · 2nd most distressed in South Carolina
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Bamberg County, SC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 79.8 — 66th 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 South Carolina, it ranks 2nd of 46 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bamberg County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 93.0 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 93.0
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 89.8
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Housing Cost Burden 67.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 45
Homeownership Rate 51
Legal Distress 63.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 64
Economic Vitality 40.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 14
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bamberg County
Bamberg County, SC 79.8 Serious —
Orangeburg County, SC 78.7 Serious -1.1
Barnwell County, SC 77.4 Serious -2.5
Colleton County, SC 75.3 Serious -4.5
Hampton County, SC 73.3 Serious -6.5
Allendale County, SC 67.3 Serious -12.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bamberg County
Bee County, TX 79.8 Serious +0.0
Desha County, AR 79.8 Serious -0.1
Bell County, KY 79.9 Serious +0.1
Marshall County, MS 79.7 Serious -0.2
Sumter County, GA 80.0 Crisis +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bamberg County

Find an Attorney

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Bamberg County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

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 Bamberg County, South Carolina?

    Bamberg County has a County Distress Index score of 79.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 66th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bamberg County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bamberg County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 93.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Bamberg County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bamberg County (79.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Orangeburg County, SC (78.7); Barnwell County, SC (77.4); Colleton County, SC (75.3).

  • 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). Bamberg County's score of 79.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bamberg 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 Bamberg County?

    Bamberg County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 12,974 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.