Jones County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.1 | 9,401 people · 25th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Jones County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.1 — 433rd 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 25th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jones County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 87.1 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 87.1
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 78
Structural Poverty 78.4
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 84
Legal Distress 72.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 72
Economic Vitality 43.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Housing Cost Burden 34.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 21
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jones County
Jones County, NC 69.1 Serious —
Lenoir County, NC 71.4 Serious +2.3
Duplin County, NC 70.0 Serious +0.9
Onslow County, NC 64.2 Elevated -5.0
Craven County, NC 62.6 Elevated -6.5
Carteret County, NC 44.3 Normal -24.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jones County
Claiborne County, MS 69.2 Serious +0.1
Jefferson County, MS 69.0 Serious -0.1
Baker County, GA 69.3 Serious +0.1
Irwin County, GA 68.8 Serious -0.3
Scott County, AR 68.7 Serious -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jones 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 Jones 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 Jones County, North Carolina?

    Jones County has a County Distress Index score of 69.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 433rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jones County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jones County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 87.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Jones County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jones County (69.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lenoir County, NC (71.4); Duplin County, NC (70.0); Onslow County, NC (64.2).

  • 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). Jones County's score of 69.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jones 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 Jones County?

    Jones County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 9,401 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.