Duplin County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.0 | 49,520 people · 22nd most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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

Duplin County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.0 — 388th 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 22nd of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Duplin County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 90.5 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.5
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 96
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 86
Structural Poverty 67.0
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 63
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Economic Vitality 54.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 31
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Housing Cost Burden 50.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 71
Legal Distress 23.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Duplin County
Duplin County, NC 70.0 Serious —
Lenoir County, NC 71.4 Serious +1.4
Wayne County, NC 71.4 Serious +1.4
Jones County, NC 69.1 Serious -0.9
Sampson County, NC 66.8 Serious -3.2
Onslow County, NC 64.2 Elevated -5.9
Pender County, NC 50.1 Elevated -19.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Duplin County
St. Helena Parish, LA 70.0 Serious 0.0
Butler County, MO 70.0 Serious -0.0
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious +0.0
New Madrid County, MO 70.1 Serious +0.1
Clarke County, MS 70.1 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Duplin 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 Duplin 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 Duplin County, North Carolina?

    Duplin County has a County Distress Index score of 70.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 388th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Duplin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Duplin County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Duplin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Duplin County (70.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lenoir County, NC (71.4); Wayne County, NC (71.4); Jones County, NC (69.1).

  • 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). Duplin County's score of 70.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Duplin 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 Duplin County?

    Duplin County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 49,520 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.