Guilford County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.6 | 549,866 people · 36th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Guilford County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.6 — 736th 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 36th of 100 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Guilford County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 78.6 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 78.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 93
Consumer Credit Distress 68.7
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Uninsured Rate 58
Subprime Credit Population 77
Economic Vitality 54.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 14
House Price Change (YoY) 56
Legal Distress 41.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Structural Poverty 39.3
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 60
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 16
Transfer Income Dependency 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Guilford County
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated —
Randolph County, NC 62.5 Elevated -1.0
Rockingham County, NC 60.6 Elevated -2.9
Forsyth County, NC 60.1 Elevated -3.5
Alamance County, NC 58.7 Elevated -4.9
Davidson County, NC 53.5 Elevated -10.1
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal -17.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Guilford County
Berkeley County, SC 63.5 Elevated -0.1
Davidson County, TN 63.9 Elevated +0.3
Seminole County, FL 63.1 Elevated -0.4
Lee County, FL 64.1 Elevated +0.5
Pinal County, AZ 62.9 Elevated -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Guilford County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Guilford County.

CCCS OF GREATER GREENSBORO
HIGH POINT
336-889-6108 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement
CCCS OF GREATER GREENSBORO
Greensboro
336-373-8882 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement
GREENSBORO HOUSING COALITION
Greensboro
336-691-9521 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF GREENSBORO D/B/A GREENSBORO HOUSING AUTHORITY
Greensboro
336-303-3059 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF HIGH POINT
High Point
336-887-2661 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 Guilford 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 Guilford County, North Carolina?

    Guilford County has a County Distress Index score of 63.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 736th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Guilford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Guilford County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 78.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Guilford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Guilford County (63.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Randolph County, NC (62.5); Rockingham County, NC (60.6); Forsyth County, NC (60.1).

  • 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). Guilford County's score of 63.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Guilford 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 Guilford County?

    Guilford County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 549,866 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.