Hoke County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.9 | 54,446 people · 29th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Hoke County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.9 — 503rd 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 29th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hoke County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 79.0 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 79.0
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 93
Structural Poverty 69.2
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 70
Transfer Income Dependency 76
Housing Cost Burden 64.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 63
Economic Vitality 45.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 15
House Price Change (YoY) 81
Legal Distress 31.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hoke County
Hoke County, NC 67.9 Serious —
Scotland County, NC 81.2 Crisis +13.3
Robeson County, NC 79.6 Serious +11.8
Richmond County, NC 74.8 Serious +6.9
Cumberland County, NC 74.3 Serious +6.4
Moore County, NC 38.7 Normal -29.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hoke County
Chaves County, NM 67.9 Serious +0.0
Columbus County, NC 67.9 Serious +0.0
Lake County, CA 68.0 Serious +0.1
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious +0.2
Nash County, NC 67.7 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hoke 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 Hoke 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Hoke County, North Carolina?

    Hoke County has a County Distress Index score of 67.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 503rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hoke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hoke County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 79.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Hoke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hoke County (67.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Scotland County, NC (81.2); Robeson County, NC (79.6); Richmond County, NC (74.8).

  • 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 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). Hoke County's score of 67.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Hoke 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 Hoke County?

    Hoke County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 54,446 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.