Bertie County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.6 | 16,922 people · 9th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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

Bertie County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.6 — 139th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within North Carolina, it ranks 9th of 100 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bertie County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 90.8 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.8
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 90.5
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Economic Vitality 74.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 46
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Legal Distress 73.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Housing Cost Burden 40.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 33
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bertie County
Bertie County, NC 76.6 Serious —
Hertford County, NC 82.9 Crisis +6.3
Halifax County, NC 81.7 Crisis +5.0
Washington County, NC 78.1 Serious +1.5
Northampton County, NC 75.4 Serious -1.3
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious -2.0
Chowan County, NC 63.6 Elevated -13.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bertie County
Martinsville city, VA 76.7 Serious +0.1
Sumter County, AL 76.7 Serious +0.1
Worth County, GA 76.7 Serious +0.1
Terry County, TX 76.8 Serious +0.1
Ripley County, MO 76.4 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bertie 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 Bertie 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 Bertie County, North Carolina?

    Bertie County has a County Distress Index score of 76.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 139th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bertie County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bertie County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Bertie County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bertie County (76.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hertford County, NC (82.9); Halifax County, NC (81.7); Washington County, NC (78.1).

  • 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 Serious 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). Bertie County's score of 76.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bertie 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 Bertie County?

    Bertie County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 16,922 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.