Harnett County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.0 | 141,477 people · 42nd most distressed in North Carolina
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Harnett County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.0 — 891st 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 42nd of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Harnett County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 76.2 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 76.2
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 80
Housing Cost Burden 57.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 72
Structural Poverty 42.2
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 47
Transfer Income Dependency 44
Legal Distress 40.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Economic Vitality 34.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Business Formation Rate 26
House Price Change (YoY) 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Harnett County
Harnett County, NC 61.0 Elevated —
Cumberland County, NC 74.3 Serious +13.4
Sampson County, NC 66.8 Serious +5.8
Lee County, NC 57.8 Elevated -3.1
Johnston County, NC 55.5 Elevated -5.5
Wake County, NC 43.4 Normal -17.5
Moore County, NC 38.7 Normal -22.2
Chatham County, NC 31.6 Healthy -29.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Harnett County
Creek County, OK 60.9 Elevated -0.0
Granville County, NC 60.9 Elevated -0.0
Monroe County, FL 60.8 Elevated -0.1
Waller County, TX 60.8 Elevated -0.1
Kankakee County, IL 60.8 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Harnett 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 Harnett 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 Harnett County, North Carolina?

    Harnett County has a County Distress Index score of 61.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 891st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Harnett County?

    The primary driver of distress in Harnett County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 76.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Harnett County compare to neighboring counties?

    Harnett County (61.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Cumberland County, NC (74.3); Sampson County, NC (66.8); Lee County, NC (57.8).

  • 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). Harnett County's score of 61.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Harnett 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 Harnett County?

    Harnett County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 141,477 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.