Durham County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.3 | 336,892 people · 56th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Durham County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.3 — 1325th 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 56th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Durham County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.0 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 70
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 63.2
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 56
Economic Vitality 36.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Legal Distress 20.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20
Structural Poverty 16.7
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 25
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 36
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Durham County
Durham County, NC 54.3 Elevated —
Person County, NC 68.5 Serious +14.2
Granville County, NC 60.9 Elevated +6.6
Wake County, NC 43.4 Normal -10.9
Orange County, NC 37.9 Normal -16.4
Chatham County, NC 31.6 Healthy -22.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Durham County
Fort Bend County, TX 54.3 Elevated +0.0
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated +0.1
Orange County, NY 54.5 Elevated +0.2
Macomb County, MI 54.1 Elevated -0.2
Greenville County, SC 53.9 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Durham County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Durham County.

NORTH CAROLINA HOUSING COALITION
Durham
919-881-0707 Website
REINVESTMENT PARTNERS
Durham
919-667-1000 Website
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 Durham 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 Durham County, North Carolina?

    Durham County has a County Distress Index score of 54.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,325th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Durham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Durham County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Durham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Durham County (54.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Person County, NC (68.5); Granville County, NC (60.9); Wake County, NC (43.4).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Durham County's score of 54.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Durham 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 Durham County?

    Durham County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 336,892 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.