Alamance County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.7 | 179,165 people · 48th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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

Alamance County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.7 — 1036th 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 North Carolina, it ranks 48th of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Alamance County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 72.3 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 72.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 37
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Housing Cost Burden 69.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 67
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 83
Consumer Credit Distress 62.3
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 68
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Uninsured Rate 64
Subprime Credit Population 71
Structural Poverty 34.4
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 28
Child Poverty Rate 40
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Legal Distress 29.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Alamance County
Alamance County, NC 58.7 Elevated —
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated +4.9
Randolph County, NC 62.5 Elevated +3.9
Caswell County, NC 61.3 Elevated +2.6
Rockingham County, NC 60.6 Elevated +2.0
Orange County, NC 37.9 Normal -20.8
Chatham County, NC 31.6 Healthy -27.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Alamance County
Jackson County, MI 58.5 Elevated -0.2
Chemung County, NY 58.9 Elevated +0.2
LaPorte County, IN 58.4 Elevated -0.3
Jefferson County, TN 59.0 Elevated +0.3
Hood County, TX 58.4 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Alamance County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Alamance County.

CCCS OF GREATER GREENSBORO
BURLINGTON
336-373-8882 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in North Carolina →

Find an Attorney

North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-662-7407

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Alamance County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of North Carolina 1-866-219-5262
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy 704-376-1600
NC Equal Access to Justice Commission
Duke Law School Community Enterprise Clinic

Self-Help Resources

NC Courts Self-Help Resources — Foreclosure Official NC court system resources for foreclosure proceedings and borrower rights
NCHFA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs, counselor referrals, and HAF information

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 North Carolina →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Alamance County, North Carolina?

    Alamance County has a County Distress Index score of 58.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,036th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Alamance County?

    The primary driver of distress in Alamance County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 72.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Alamance County compare to neighboring counties?

    Alamance County (58.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Guilford County, NC (63.6); Randolph County, NC (62.5); Caswell County, NC (61.3).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Alamance County's score of 58.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Alamance 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 Alamance County?

    Alamance County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 179,165 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.