Jackson County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.4 | 44,574 people · 61st most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Jackson County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.4 — 1374th 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 61st of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 89
Structural Poverty 56.4
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 23
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Consumer Credit Distress 55.4
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 34
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 51
Economic Vitality 42.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 52
House Price Change (YoY) 23
Legal Distress 3.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, NC 53.4 Elevated —
Swain County, NC 57.3 Elevated +3.8
Macon County, NC 50.5 Elevated -2.9
Haywood County, NC 50.0 Normal -3.4
Rabun County, GA 49.1 Normal -4.4
Oconee County, SC 47.0 Normal -6.5
Transylvania County, NC 45.5 Normal -7.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Manassas city, VA 53.5 Elevated +0.0
Smith County, MS 53.5 Elevated +0.0
Sullivan County, IN 53.4 Elevated -0.0
Giles County, TN 53.4 Elevated -0.0
Montezuma County, CO 53.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County, North Carolina?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 53.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,374th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 61st in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (53.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Swain County, NC (57.3); Macon County, NC (50.5); Haywood County, NC (50.0).

  • 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). Jackson County's score of 53.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 44,574 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.