Franklin County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.9 | 77,001 people · 34th most distressed in North Carolina
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Franklin County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.9 — 714th 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 34th of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 79.4 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 79.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 69
Consumer Credit Distress 69.7
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 78
Housing Cost Burden 68.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 29
Legal Distress 49.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Structural Poverty 32.8
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 35
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, NC 63.9 Elevated —
Vance County, NC 82.3 Crisis +18.4
Halifax County, NC 81.7 Crisis +17.8
Warren County, NC 72.4 Serious +8.5
Nash County, NC 67.7 Serious +3.8
Granville County, NC 60.9 Elevated -3.0
Johnston County, NC 55.5 Elevated -8.4
Wake County, NC 43.4 Normal -20.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Cherokee County, SC 63.8 Elevated -0.0
Warren County, KY 63.8 Elevated -0.1
Rankin County, MS 63.7 Elevated -0.2
San Juan County, NM 63.7 Elevated -0.2
Whitfield County, GA 64.1 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, North Carolina?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 63.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 714th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 79.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (63.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Vance County, NC (82.3); Halifax County, NC (81.7); Warren County, NC (72.4).

  • 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). Franklin County's score of 63.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 77,001 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.