Williamsburg County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Crisis · 81.1 | 29,891 people · 1st most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Williamsburg County, SC ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 81.1 — 51st 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 1st 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. Williamsburg County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 92.7 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 92.7
Unemployment Rate 99
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Consumer Credit Distress 90.6
Debt in Collections 99
Medical Debt 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 99
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 99
Housing Cost Burden 75.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 49
Legal Distress 67.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Economic Vitality 40.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 12
House Price Change (YoY) 87

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Williamsburg County
Williamsburg County, SC 81.1 Crisis —
Clarendon County, SC 74.4 Serious -6.8
Florence County, SC 72.6 Serious -8.6
Marion County, SC 66.9 Serious -14.2
Berkeley County, SC 63.5 Elevated -17.7
Georgetown County, SC 53.8 Elevated -27.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Williamsburg County
Scotland County, NC 81.2 Crisis +0.0
Brooks County, GA 81.0 Crisis -0.1
Jim Wells County, TX 81.0 Crisis -0.2
McDuffie County, GA 81.5 Crisis +0.4
Cook County, GA 80.7 Crisis -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in South Carolina →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Williamsburg County, South Carolina?

    Williamsburg County has a County Distress Index score of 81.1 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 51st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Williamsburg County?

    The primary driver of distress in Williamsburg County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 92.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Williamsburg County compare to neighboring counties?

    Williamsburg County (81.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Clarendon County, SC (74.4); Florence County, SC (72.6); Marion County, SC (66.9).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Williamsburg County's score of 81.1 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg County?

    Williamsburg County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 29,891 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.