Cabarrus County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.1 | 240,016 people · 63rd most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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

Cabarrus County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.1 — 1388th 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 63rd 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. Cabarrus County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.1 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 61
Economic Vitality 70.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 11
House Price Change (YoY) 69
Consumer Credit Distress 54.7
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 47
Subprime Credit Population 65
Legal Distress 26.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27
Structural Poverty 14.6
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 13
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 8
Transfer Income Dependency 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cabarrus County
Cabarrus County, NC 53.1 Elevated —
Rowan County, NC 61.2 Elevated +8.1
Mecklenburg County, NC 57.6 Elevated +4.5
Stanly County, NC 50.3 Elevated -2.9
Iredell County, NC 45.2 Normal -7.9
Union County, NC 39.1 Normal -14.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cabarrus County
Douglas County, OR 53.1 Elevated -0.0
Humboldt County, CA 53.3 Elevated +0.1
Hall County, NE 53.3 Elevated +0.2
Indian River County, FL 53.0 Elevated -0.2
Rockwall County, TX 53.3 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cabarrus County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Cabarrus County.

PROSPERITY UNLIMITED, INC
Kannapolis
704-933-7405
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Cabarrus 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 Cabarrus County, North Carolina?

    Cabarrus County has a County Distress Index score of 53.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,388th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cabarrus County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cabarrus County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cabarrus County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cabarrus County (53.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Rowan County, NC (61.2); Mecklenburg County, NC (57.6); Stanly County, NC (50.3).

  • 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 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). Cabarrus County's score of 53.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cabarrus 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 Cabarrus County?

    Cabarrus County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 240,016 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.