Brunswick County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.7 | 159,964 people · 78th most distressed in North Carolina
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Brunswick County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.7 — 1795th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within North Carolina, it ranks 78th of 100 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Brunswick County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 67.4 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 67.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 60
Housing Cost Burden 65.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 5
Structural Poverty 42.1
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 23
Income vs. State Median 12
Child Poverty Rate 44
Disability Rate 45
Transfer Income Dependency 73
Consumer Credit Distress 37.7
Debt in Collections 32
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 31
Legal Distress 32.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Brunswick County
Brunswick County, NC 46.7 Normal —
Columbus County, NC 67.9 Serious +21.2
Horry County, SC 62.1 Elevated +15.4
New Hanover County, NC 52.3 Elevated +5.5
Pender County, NC 50.1 Elevated +3.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Brunswick County
Johnson County, IN 46.7 Normal -0.0
Sandusky County, OH 46.7 Normal -0.0
Yellowstone County, MT 46.7 Normal -0.1
Saline County, AR 46.8 Normal +0.1
Chambers County, TX 46.8 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brunswick 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 Brunswick 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 Brunswick County, North Carolina?

    Brunswick County has a County Distress Index score of 46.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,795th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 78th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brunswick County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brunswick County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 67.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Brunswick County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brunswick County (46.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Columbus County, NC (67.9); Horry County, SC (62.1); New Hanover County, NC (52.3).

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

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

    Brunswick 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 Brunswick County?

    Brunswick County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 159,964 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.