Forsyth County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.1 | 392,921 people · 47th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Forsyth County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.1 — 945th 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 47th of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Forsyth County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.8 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 89
Consumer Credit Distress 67.9
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 68
Subprime Credit Population 68
Structural Poverty 41.1
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 60
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 21
Transfer Income Dependency 28
Economic Vitality 37.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 24
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 26
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Legal Distress 25.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Forsyth County
Forsyth County, NC 60.1 Elevated —
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated +3.5
Rockingham County, NC 60.6 Elevated +0.5
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated -6.6
Davidson County, NC 53.5 Elevated -6.6
Yadkin County, NC 51.2 Elevated -8.9
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal -13.5
Davie County, NC 40.0 Normal -20.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Forsyth County
Hamilton County, OH 60.1 Elevated +0.0
Adams County, CO 60.3 Elevated +0.2
Rutherford County, TN 59.9 Elevated -0.2
Providence County, RI 59.9 Elevated -0.2
St. Joseph County, IN 59.9 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Forsyth County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Forsyth County.

CREDIT.ORG - NORTH CAROLINA BRANCH
Winston Salem
336-494-6032 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
FINANCIAL PATHWAYS OF THE PIEDMONT
WINSTON SALEM
336-896-1191-1102 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement
FINANCIAL PATHWAYS OF THE PIEDMONT - WINSTON-SALEM OFFICE
WINSTON SALEM
336-773-0286-104 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 Forsyth 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 Forsyth County, North Carolina?

    Forsyth County has a County Distress Index score of 60.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 945th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Forsyth County?

    The primary driver of distress in Forsyth County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Forsyth County compare to neighboring counties?

    Forsyth County (60.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Guilford County, NC (63.6); Rockingham County, NC (60.6); Surry County, NC (53.5).

  • 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 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). Forsyth County's score of 60.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Forsyth 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 Forsyth County?

    Forsyth County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 392,921 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.