Columbus County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.9 | 50,121 people · 28th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Columbus County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.9 — 502nd 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 28th of 100 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Columbus County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.0 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.0
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 79.8
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Housing Cost Burden 46.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 40
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 61
Economic Vitality 41.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 33
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 68
Legal Distress 34.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Columbus County
Columbus County, NC 67.9 Serious —
Robeson County, NC 79.6 Serious +11.7
Dillon County, SC 76.0 Serious +8.1
Bladen County, NC 69.3 Serious +1.4
Horry County, SC 62.1 Elevated -5.8
Pender County, NC 50.1 Elevated -17.8
Brunswick County, NC 46.7 Normal -21.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Columbus County
Chaves County, NM 67.9 Serious 0.0
Hoke County, NC 67.9 Serious -0.0
Lake County, CA 68.0 Serious +0.1
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious +0.1
Barrow County, GA 68.1 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Columbus 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 Columbus 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 Columbus County, North Carolina?

    Columbus County has a County Distress Index score of 67.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 502nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Columbus County?

    The primary driver of distress in Columbus County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Columbus County compare to neighboring counties?

    Columbus County (67.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Robeson County, NC (79.6); Dillon County, SC (76.0); Bladen County, NC (69.3).

  • 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 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). Columbus County's score of 67.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Columbus 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 Columbus County?

    Columbus County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 50,121 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.