Fairfield County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.7 | 20,422 people · 9th most distressed in South Carolina
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Fairfield County, SC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.7 — 198th 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 9th of 46 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Fairfield County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 84.0 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 84.0
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 88
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 94
Disability Rate 69
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Consumer Credit Distress 82.6
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 86
Legal Distress 67.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Housing Cost Burden 63.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 41
Economic Vitality 53.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 20
House Price Change (YoY) 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fairfield County
Fairfield County, SC 74.7 Serious —
Richland County, SC 75.5 Serious +0.9
Union County, SC 71.4 Serious -3.2
Chester County, SC 70.5 Serious -4.1
Newberry County, SC 66.3 Serious -8.4
Kershaw County, SC 64.7 Elevated -10.0
Lancaster County, SC 49.3 Normal -25.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fairfield County
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious -0.0
Lee County, SC 74.6 Serious -0.0
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious -0.1
Elbert County, GA 74.6 Serious -0.1
Okmulgee County, OK 74.8 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield County, South Carolina?

    Fairfield County has a County Distress Index score of 74.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 198th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fairfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fairfield County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 84.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Fairfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fairfield County (74.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Richland County, SC (75.5); Union County, SC (71.4); Chester County, SC (70.5).

  • 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). Fairfield County's score of 74.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Fairfield 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 Fairfield County?

    Fairfield County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 20,422 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.