Ashe County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.2 | 27,063 people · 97th most distressed in North Carolina
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Ashe County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.2 — 2354th 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 97th of 100 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ashe County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 66.0 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 66.0
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Economic Vitality 43.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Consumer Credit Distress 37.2
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 20
Housing Cost Burden 28.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 18
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 27
Legal Distress 1.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ashe County
Ashe County, NC 37.2 Normal —
Johnson County, TN 56.8 Elevated +19.6
Grayson County, VA 54.6 Elevated +17.3
Wilkes County, NC 54.2 Elevated +17.0
Alleghany County, NC 48.6 Normal +11.4
Watauga County, NC 43.6 Normal +6.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ashe County
Alpena County, MI 37.4 Normal +0.1
Fayette County, IA 37.4 Normal +0.2
Harrison County, IA 37.1 Normal -0.2
Camden County, MO 37.0 Normal -0.2
Houghton County, MI 37.5 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ashe 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 Ashe 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 Ashe County, North Carolina?

    Ashe County has a County Distress Index score of 37.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,354th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 97th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ashe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ashe County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 66.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Ashe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ashe County (37.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Johnson County, TN (56.8); Grayson County, VA (54.6); Wilkes County, NC (54.2).

  • 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). Ashe County's score of 37.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Ashe 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 Ashe County?

    Ashe County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 27,063 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.