(The Center Square) — South Carolina ranked among the worst states in the nation for residents struggling to pay off medical debt.
According to a new report from HelpAdvisor.com, which analyzed credit bureau data the Urban Institute compiled, South Carolina ranked second in the country, behind only West Virginia. Oklahoma, North Carolina and Texas rounded out the top five, while neighboring Georgia ranked ninth.
The analysis revealed that more than a fifth (22.3%) of South Carolinians with a credit report have medical debt in collections.
The report also revealed three South Carolina counties ranked among the 50 counties with the highest rates of medical debt in collections. Palmetto State counties on the list are Marlboro (37.1%), Laurens (36.9%) and Cherokee (34.2%).
According to the analysis, at least a quarter of residents in 356 counties nationwide have medical debt in collections, while more than a third of the population in 47 counties across the country has medical debt in collections.
Roughly one in six (15.4%) Americans with a credit report had medical debt in collections as of February 2022, the most recent data available. In some areas of the country, the rate of people with medical debt in collections exceeded 40%.
Minnesota ranked as the state with the least residents struggling to pay off medical debt, edging out South Dakota, Alaska and Massachusetts.
