Graham County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.1 | 8,052 people · 46th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Graham County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.1 — 940th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within North Carolina, it ranks 46th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Graham County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.9 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.9
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 75
Disability Rate 74
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Consumer Credit Distress 75.0
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 68
Economic Vitality 44.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 81
Housing Cost Burden 37.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 16
Legal Distress 22.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Graham County
Graham County, NC 60.1 Elevated —
Monroe County, TN 64.9 Elevated +4.7
Swain County, NC 57.3 Elevated -2.9
Macon County, NC 50.5 Elevated -9.6
Blount County, TN 49.4 Normal -10.8
Cherokee County, NC 48.0 Normal -12.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Graham County
Robertson County, KY 60.1 Elevated -0.0
Ellis County, OK 60.2 Elevated +0.1
Mineral County, NV 60.3 Elevated +0.1
Leslie County, KY 59.9 Elevated -0.2
Iron County, MO 59.8 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Graham 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 Graham 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 Graham County, North Carolina?

    Graham County has a County Distress Index score of 60.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 940th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Graham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Graham County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Graham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Graham County (60.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Monroe County, TN (64.9); Swain County, NC (57.3); Macon County, NC (50.5).

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

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

    Graham 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 Graham County?

    Graham County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 8,052 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.