Currituck County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.5 | 31,593 people · 98th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Currituck County, NC ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.5 — 2616th 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 98th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Currituck County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 75.1 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 75.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 51
Housing Cost Burden 34.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 36
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 87
Homeownership Rate 1
Consumer Credit Distress 29.7
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 3
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 34
Legal Distress 26.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27
Structural Poverty 13.3
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 6
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 18
Transfer Income Dependency 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Currituck County
Currituck County, NC 32.5 Healthy —
Tyrrell County, NC 57.1 Elevated +24.6
Chesapeake city, VA 56.5 Elevated +24.0
Virginia Beach city, VA 55.5 Elevated +23.0
Dare County, NC 39.3 Normal +6.8
Camden County, NC 30.8 Healthy -1.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Currituck County
Archuleta County, CO 32.5 Healthy 0.0
Hood River County, OR 32.5 Healthy 0.0
Cherokee County, IA 32.5 Healthy -0.0
Le Sueur County, MN 32.5 Healthy -0.0
Nobles County, MN 32.5 Healthy +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Currituck 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 Currituck 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 Currituck County, North Carolina?

    Currituck County has a County Distress Index score of 32.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,616th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 98th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Currituck County?

    The primary driver of distress in Currituck County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 75.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Currituck County compare to neighboring counties?

    Currituck County (32.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Tyrrell County, NC (57.1); Chesapeake city, VA (56.5); Virginia Beach city, VA (55.5).

  • 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). Currituck County's score of 32.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Currituck 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 Currituck County?

    Currituck County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 31,593 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.