Cleveland County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.7 | 101,378 people · 23rd most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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

Cleveland County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.7 — 405th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within North Carolina, it ranks 23rd of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cleveland County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.1 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.1
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 83
Structural Poverty 66.2
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 74
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Housing Cost Burden 62.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 68
Legal Distress 49.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 49
Economic Vitality 24.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 20
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 63

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cleveland County
Cleveland County, NC 69.7 Serious —
Gaston County, NC 70.7 Serious +1.0
Rutherford County, NC 64.2 Elevated -5.5
Cherokee County, SC 63.8 Elevated -5.8
Burke County, NC 60.7 Elevated -8.9
York County, SC 56.5 Elevated -13.2
Lincoln County, NC 44.7 Normal -25.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cleveland County
Garland County, AR 69.7 Serious +0.0
Wicomico County, MD 69.7 Serious -0.0
Navarro County, TX 69.8 Serious +0.2
Hamblen County, TN 69.5 Serious -0.2
Johnson County, TX 69.9 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cleveland County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Cleveland County.

CLEVELAND COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Shelby
704-480-7701
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 Cleveland 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 Cleveland County, North Carolina?

    Cleveland County has a County Distress Index score of 69.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 405th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cleveland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cleveland County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Cleveland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cleveland County (69.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Gaston County, NC (70.7); Rutherford County, NC (64.2); Cherokee County, SC (63.8).

  • 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 Serious 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). Cleveland County's score of 69.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Cleveland 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 Cleveland County?

    Cleveland County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 101,378 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.