Buncombe County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.0 | 275,901 people · 66th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Buncombe County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.0 — 1453rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within North Carolina, it ranks 66th of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Buncombe County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.2 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 86
Economic Vitality 73.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Consumer Credit Distress 43.4
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 32
Legal Distress 34.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Structural Poverty 30.8
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 31
Transfer Income Dependency 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Buncombe County
Buncombe County, NC 52.0 Elevated —
Rutherford County, NC 64.2 Elevated +12.2
McDowell County, NC 53.2 Elevated +1.2
Madison County, NC 50.9 Elevated -1.1
Haywood County, NC 50.0 Normal -2.0
Henderson County, NC 41.2 Normal -10.8
Yancey County, NC 40.5 Normal -11.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Buncombe County
Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT 52.0 Elevated -0.0
Sedgwick County, KS 52.2 Elevated +0.2
Kalamazoo County, MI 52.2 Elevated +0.2
Madison County, AL 52.3 Elevated +0.3
Chesterfield County, VA 51.3 Elevated -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Buncombe County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Buncombe County.

CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICE OF WNC, INC. - DBA - ONTRACK FINANCIAL EDUCATION & COUNSELING
Asheville
828-255-5166 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase

See all counselors in North Carolina →

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 Buncombe 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 Buncombe County, North Carolina?

    Buncombe County has a County Distress Index score of 52.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,453rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Buncombe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Buncombe County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Buncombe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Buncombe County (52.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Rutherford County, NC (64.2); McDowell County, NC (53.2); Madison County, NC (50.9).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Buncombe County's score of 52.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Buncombe 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 Buncombe County?

    Buncombe County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 275,901 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.