Barnwell County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 77.4 | 20,447 people · 5th most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

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Barnwell County, SC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.4 — 119th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within South Carolina, it ranks 5th of 46 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Barnwell County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 92.1 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 92.1
Unemployment Rate 97
Poverty Rate 97
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 99
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Consumer Credit Distress 90.6
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 96
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 76
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 62.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 14
Homeownership Rate 66
Economic Vitality 52.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Legal Distress 42.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Barnwell County
Barnwell County, SC 77.4 Serious —
Bamberg County, SC 79.8 Serious +2.5
Orangeburg County, SC 78.7 Serious +1.3
Burke County, GA 78.0 Serious +0.6
Allendale County, SC 67.3 Serious -10.1
Aiken County, SC 59.9 Elevated -17.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Barnwell County
Ben Hill County, GA 77.3 Serious -0.0
Pike County, MS 77.3 Serious -0.1
Anson County, NC 77.5 Serious +0.1
Telfair County, GA 77.3 Serious -0.1
Natchitoches Parish, LA 77.5 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Barnwell 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 Barnwell 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 Barnwell County, South Carolina?

    Barnwell County has a County Distress Index score of 77.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 119th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barnwell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barnwell County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 92.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Barnwell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barnwell County (77.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Bamberg County, SC (79.8); Orangeburg County, SC (78.7); Burke County, GA (78.0).

  • 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). Barnwell County's score of 77.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Barnwell 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 Barnwell County?

    Barnwell County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 20,447 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.