Darlington County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 77.4 | 62,416 people · 4th most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

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Darlington County, SC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.4 — 117th 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 4th 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. Darlington County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 87.0 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 87.0
Debt in Collections 97
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 96
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 58
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 81.6
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 91
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 73
Housing Cost Burden 75.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 68
Legal Distress 51.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52
Economic Vitality 47.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Darlington County
Darlington County, SC 77.4 Serious —
Lee County, SC 74.6 Serious -2.8
Marlboro County, SC 74.1 Serious -3.3
Florence County, SC 72.6 Serious -4.9
Chesterfield County, SC 70.6 Serious -6.8
Kershaw County, SC 64.7 Elevated -12.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Darlington County
Ouachita Parish, LA 77.5 Serious +0.1
Norfolk city, VA 77.3 Serious -0.2
Hampton city, VA 77.1 Serious -0.3
Tangipahoa Parish, LA 77.8 Serious +0.4
Floyd County, GA 77.0 Serious -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Darlington 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 Darlington 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 Darlington County, South Carolina?

    Darlington County has a County Distress Index score of 77.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 117th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Darlington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Darlington County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 87.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Darlington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Darlington County (77.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lee County, SC (74.6); Marlboro County, SC (74.1); Florence County, SC (72.6).

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

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

    Darlington 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 Darlington County?

    Darlington County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 62,416 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.