Madison County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.9 | 22,071 people · 69th most distressed in North Carolina
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Madison County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.9 — 1527th 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 69th of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Madison County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 86.9 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 86.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Rent-to-Income Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 97
Structural Poverty 60.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Consumer Credit Distress 52.7
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 50
Housing Cost Burden 36.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 27
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 30
Legal Distress 20.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Madison County, NC 50.9 Elevated —
Cocke County, TN 75.1 Serious +24.1
Unicoi County, TN 62.3 Elevated +11.4
Greene County, TN 55.8 Elevated +4.9
Buncombe County, NC 52.0 Elevated +1.1
Haywood County, NC 50.0 Normal -0.9
Yancey County, NC 40.5 Normal -10.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Montgomery County, IA 51.0 Elevated +0.0
Clay County, TX 50.9 Elevated -0.1
Cortland County, NY 51.0 Elevated +0.1
Fannin County, GA 50.9 Elevated -0.1
Trousdale County, TN 50.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County, North Carolina?

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 50.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,527th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 69th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 86.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (50.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Cocke County, TN (75.1); Unicoi County, TN (62.3); Greene County, TN (55.8).

  • 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). Madison County's score of 50.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Madison 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 Madison County?

    Madison County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 22,071 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.