Chatham County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.6 | 81,624 people · 99th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Chatham County, NC ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.6 — 2668th 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 99th of 100 counties. It scores lower than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Chatham County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 65.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 65.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 23
House Price Change (YoY) 25
Housing Cost Burden 62.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 17
Consumer Credit Distress 20.1
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 12
Structural Poverty 11.2
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 17
Disability Rate 15
Transfer Income Dependency 8
Legal Distress 8.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chatham County
Chatham County, NC 31.6 Healthy —
Randolph County, NC 62.5 Elevated +30.9
Harnett County, NC 61.0 Elevated +29.3
Alamance County, NC 58.7 Elevated +27.1
Lee County, NC 57.8 Elevated +26.2
Durham County, NC 54.3 Elevated +22.7
Wake County, NC 43.4 Normal +11.8
Moore County, NC 38.7 Normal +7.1
Orange County, NC 37.9 Normal +6.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chatham County
Washington County, RI 31.6 Healthy -0.0
Box Elder County, UT 31.7 Healthy +0.1
Allegan County, MI 32.0 Healthy +0.4
Sarpy County, NE 32.1 Healthy +0.5
Windsor County, VT 31.1 Healthy -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chatham 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 Chatham 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 Chatham County, North Carolina?

    Chatham County has a County Distress Index score of 31.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,668th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 99th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chatham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chatham County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 65.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Chatham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chatham County (31.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Randolph County, NC (62.5); Harnett County, NC (61.0); Alamance County, NC (58.7).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Chatham County's score of 31.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Chatham 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 Chatham County?

    Chatham County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 81,624 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.