Clay County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.1 | 11,864 people · 65th most distressed in North Carolina
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Clay County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.1 — 1444th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within North Carolina, it ranks 65th of 100 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clay County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 66.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 66.7
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 63
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 62.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Housing Cost Burden 59.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 20
Consumer Credit Distress 49.2
Debt in Collections 37
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 28
Legal Distress 10.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Clay County, NC 52.1 Elevated —
Macon County, NC 50.5 Elevated -1.6
Rabun County, GA 49.1 Normal -3.1
Cherokee County, NC 48.0 Normal -4.1
Towns County, GA 48.0 Normal -4.1
Union County, GA 40.2 Normal -12.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Leon County, TX 52.1 Elevated -0.0
Jefferson County, IN 52.1 Elevated -0.0
Wexford County, MI 52.2 Elevated +0.0
Roscommon County, MI 52.2 Elevated +0.1
Boone County, AR 52.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County, North Carolina?

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 52.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,444th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clay County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 66.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Clay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clay County (52.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Macon County, NC (50.5); Rabun County, GA (49.1); Cherokee County, NC (48.0).

  • 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). Clay County's score of 52.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Clay 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 11,864 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.