Bladen County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.3 | 29,484 people · 24th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Bladen County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.3 — 421st 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 24th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bladen County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.9 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.9
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 57
Subprime Credit Population 90
Structural Poverty 79.5
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 47
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Housing Cost Burden 51.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 67
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 71
Legal Distress 38.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Economic Vitality 37.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 30
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bladen County
Bladen County, NC 69.3 Serious —
Robeson County, NC 79.6 Serious +10.3
Cumberland County, NC 74.3 Serious +5.0
Columbus County, NC 67.9 Serious -1.4
Sampson County, NC 66.8 Serious -2.5
Pender County, NC 50.1 Elevated -19.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bladen County
Uvalde County, TX 69.3 Serious -0.0
Evangeline Parish, LA 69.4 Serious +0.1
Tyler County, TX 69.3 Serious -0.1
Casey County, KY 69.5 Serious +0.1
Geneva County, AL 69.2 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bladen 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 Bladen 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 Bladen County, North Carolina?

    Bladen County has a County Distress Index score of 69.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 421st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bladen County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bladen County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Bladen County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bladen County (69.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Robeson County, NC (79.6); Cumberland County, NC (74.3); Columbus County, NC (67.9).

  • 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). Bladen County's score of 69.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bladen 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 Bladen County?

    Bladen County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 29,484 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.