Alleghany County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.6 | 11,342 people · 76th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Alleghany County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.6 — 1670th 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 North Carolina, it ranks 76th 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. Alleghany County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.7 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.7
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 94
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 64
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Economic Vitality 62.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 70
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 31
House Price Change (YoY) 25
Consumer Credit Distress 51.5
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Uninsured Rate 87
Subprime Credit Population 29
Housing Cost Burden 31.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 20
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 35
Legal Distress 15.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Alleghany County
Alleghany County, NC 48.6 Normal —
Grayson County, VA 54.6 Elevated +6.0
Wilkes County, NC 54.2 Elevated +5.6
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated +4.9
Ashe County, NC 37.2 Normal -11.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Alleghany County
Madison County, AR 48.6 Normal +0.0
Decatur County, IN 48.5 Normal -0.1
Morrow County, OH 48.7 Normal +0.1
Adair County, MO 48.5 Normal -0.1
Monroe County, WV 48.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Alleghany 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 Alleghany 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 Alleghany County, North Carolina?

    Alleghany County has a County Distress Index score of 48.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,670th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 76th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Alleghany County?

    The primary driver of distress in Alleghany County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Alleghany County compare to neighboring counties?

    Alleghany County (48.6) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Grayson County, VA (54.6); Wilkes County, NC (54.2); Surry County, NC (53.5).

  • 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). Alleghany County's score of 48.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Alleghany 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 Alleghany County?

    Alleghany County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 11,342 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.