Johnston County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.5 | 241,955 people · 55th most distressed in North Carolina
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Johnston County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.5 — 1245th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within North Carolina, it ranks 55th of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Johnston County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 77.7 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 77.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 77
Housing Cost Burden 63.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 65
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 78
Homeownership Rate 35
Consumer Credit Distress 58.4
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 72
Legal Distress 49.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Structural Poverty 20.9
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 31
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnston County
Johnston County, NC 55.5 Elevated —
Wilson County, NC 75.8 Serious +20.3
Wayne County, NC 71.4 Serious +15.9
Nash County, NC 67.7 Serious +12.2
Sampson County, NC 66.8 Serious +11.3
Franklin County, NC 63.9 Elevated +8.4
Harnett County, NC 61.0 Elevated +5.5
Wake County, NC 43.4 Normal -12.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnston County
Charlotte County, FL 55.4 Elevated -0.1
Effingham County, GA 55.5 Elevated +0.1
Madison County, MS 55.3 Elevated -0.1
Huron County, OH 55.3 Elevated -0.2
Coweta County, GA 55.3 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Johnston 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 Johnston 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 Johnston County, North Carolina?

    Johnston County has a County Distress Index score of 55.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,245th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnston County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 77.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Johnston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnston County (55.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Wilson County, NC (75.8); Wayne County, NC (71.4); Nash County, NC (67.7).

  • 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). Johnston County's score of 55.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Johnston 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 Johnston County?

    Johnston County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 241,955 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.