Greene County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.6 | 20,530 people · 15th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Greene County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.6 — 241st 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 15th of 100 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Greene County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 92.9 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 92.9
Debt in Collections 96
Medical Debt 97
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 69.9
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 91
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 52
Housing Cost Burden 61.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 51
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 67
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 48
Homeownership Rate 84
Economic Vitality 48.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 64
House Price Change (YoY) 96
Legal Distress 24.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Greene County
Greene County, NC 73.6 Serious —
Wilson County, NC 75.8 Serious +2.1
Pitt County, NC 72.6 Serious -1.0
Lenoir County, NC 71.4 Serious -2.2
Wayne County, NC 71.4 Serious -2.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Greene County
Greensville County, VA 73.6 Serious -0.1
Ashley County, AR 73.7 Serious +0.1
Chattooga County, GA 73.5 Serious -0.1
Somerset County, MD 73.8 Serious +0.2
Warren County, MS 73.8 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Greene 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 Greene 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 Greene County, North Carolina?

    Greene County has a County Distress Index score of 73.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 241st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 15th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Greene County?

    The primary driver of distress in Greene County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 92.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Greene County compare to neighboring counties?

    Greene County (73.6) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Wilson County, NC (75.8); Pitt County, NC (72.6); Lenoir County, NC (71.4).

  • 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 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). Greene County's score of 73.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Greene 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 Greene County?

    Greene County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 20,530 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.