Halifax County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Crisis · 81.7 | 47,298 people · 4th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Halifax County, NC ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 81.7 — 46th 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 4th of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Halifax County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 92.0 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 92.0
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 96
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 99
Disability Rate 85
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 87.0
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 96
Credit Card Delinquency 97
Uninsured Rate 65
Subprime Credit Population 94
Housing Cost Burden 81.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 78
Homeownership Rate 88
Legal Distress 74.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Economic Vitality 45.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 51

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Halifax County
Halifax County, NC 81.7 Crisis —
Edgecombe County, NC 82.6 Crisis +0.9
Bertie County, NC 76.6 Serious -5.0
Northampton County, NC 75.4 Serious -6.3
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious -7.0
Warren County, NC 72.4 Serious -9.2
Nash County, NC 67.7 Serious -14.0
Franklin County, NC 63.9 Elevated -17.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Halifax County
McDuffie County, GA 81.5 Crisis -0.1
Mississippi County, MO 82.0 Crisis +0.3
Morehouse Parish, LA 82.1 Crisis +0.4
Scotland County, NC 81.2 Crisis -0.5
Williamsburg County, SC 81.1 Crisis -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Halifax 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 Halifax 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 Halifax County, North Carolina?

    Halifax County has a County Distress Index score of 81.7 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 46th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Halifax County?

    The primary driver of distress in Halifax County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 92.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Halifax County compare to neighboring counties?

    Halifax County (81.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Edgecombe County, NC (82.6); Bertie County, NC (76.6); Northampton County, NC (75.4).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Halifax County's score of 81.7 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Halifax 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 Halifax County?

    Halifax County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 47,298 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.