Carroll County, New Hampshire

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.3 | 52,448 people · 9th most distressed in New Hampshire
American Default Research

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Carroll County, NH ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.3 — 2634th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within New Hampshire, it ranks 9th of 10 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Carroll County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 80.4 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 80.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 67
Housing Cost Burden 36.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 14
Structural Poverty 35.1
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 71
Child Poverty Rate 18
Disability Rate 53
Transfer Income Dependency 24
Consumer Credit Distress 24.0
Debt in Collections 19
Medical Debt 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 11
Legal Distress 8.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Carroll County
Carroll County, NH 32.3 Healthy —
Coos County, NH 49.4 Normal +17.1
Oxford County, ME 47.9 Normal +15.6
Strafford County, NH 45.9 Normal +13.6
Belknap County, NH 42.2 Normal +9.9
Grafton County, NH 34.0 Healthy +1.7
York County, ME 33.8 Healthy +1.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Carroll County
Carroll County, MD 32.3 Healthy +0.0
Chelan County, WA 32.3 Healthy -0.0
Rockingham County, VA 32.2 Healthy -0.0
Chittenden County, VT 32.2 Healthy -0.1
Cole County, MO 32.5 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

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New Hampshire Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 603-229-0002

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Legal aid organizations serving Carroll County residents at no cost.

New Hampshire Legal Assistance 1-800-639-5290
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Carroll County, New Hampshire?

    Carroll County has a County Distress Index score of 32.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,634th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in New Hampshire out of 10 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Carroll County?

    The primary driver of distress in Carroll County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 80.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Carroll County compare to neighboring counties?

    Carroll County (32.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Coos County, NH (49.4); Oxford County, ME (47.9); Strafford County, NH (45.9).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Carroll County's score of 32.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Carroll 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 Carroll County?

    Carroll County, New Hampshire has a population of approximately 52,448 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.