Dare County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.3 | 38,110 people · 93rd most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Dare County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.3 — 2233rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within North Carolina, it ranks 93rd of 100 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dare County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 78.2 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 78.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 30
Economic Vitality 64.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 11
House Price Change (YoY) 50
Consumer Credit Distress 25.6
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 57
Subprime Credit Population 15
Structural Poverty 20.7
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 26
Disability Rate 7
Transfer Income Dependency 18
Legal Distress 13.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dare County
Dare County, NC 39.3 Normal —
Hyde County, NC 68.1 Serious +28.8
Tyrrell County, NC 57.1 Elevated +17.8
Currituck County, NC 32.5 Healthy -6.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dare County
Jasper County, IN 39.3 Normal -0.0
Pike County, IN 39.3 Normal +0.0
Wyoming County, PA 39.3 Normal -0.0
Ellis County, KS 39.4 Normal +0.0
Teller County, CO 39.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dare 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 Dare 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 Dare County, North Carolina?

    Dare County has a County Distress Index score of 39.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,233rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 93rd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dare County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dare County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 78.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Dare County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dare County (39.3) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Hyde County, NC (68.1); Tyrrell County, NC (57.1); Currituck County, NC (32.5).

  • 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 Normal 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). Dare County's score of 39.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Dare 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 Dare County?

    Dare County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 38,110 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.