Alexander County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.7 | 36,473 people · 79th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Alexander County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.7 — 1798th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within North Carolina, it ranks 79th of 100 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Alexander County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 58.5 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 58.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 16
Consumer Credit Distress 58.3
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 56
Subprime Credit Population 58
Structural Poverty 48.8
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 48
Disability Rate 70
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Housing Cost Burden 27.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 19
Homeownership Rate 12
Legal Distress 10.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Alexander County
Alexander County, NC 46.7 Normal —
Caldwell County, NC 57.6 Elevated +10.9
Wilkes County, NC 54.2 Elevated +7.5
Catawba County, NC 49.2 Normal +2.5
Iredell County, NC 45.2 Normal -1.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Alexander County
Fayette County, TX 46.7 Normal +0.0
Ray County, MO 46.6 Normal -0.0
Clay County, IN 46.6 Normal -0.1
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal -0.1
Pike County, MO 46.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Alexander County

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 Alexander 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Alexander County has a County Distress Index score of 46.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,798th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 79th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Alexander County?

    The primary driver of distress in Alexander County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 58.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Alexander County compare to neighboring counties?

    Alexander County (46.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, NC (57.6); Wilkes County, NC (54.2); Catawba County, NC (49.2).

  • 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 Normal 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). Alexander County's score of 46.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Alexander 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 Alexander County?

    Alexander County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 36,473 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.