Martin County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.6 | 21,447 people · 13th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Martin County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.6 — 200th 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 13th 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. Martin County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.0 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.0
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 96
Uninsured Rate 46
Subprime Credit Population 91
Structural Poverty 84.2
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 97
Economic Vitality 67.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Legal Distress 65.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 66
Housing Cost Burden 50.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 76

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Martin County
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious —
Edgecombe County, NC 82.6 Crisis +8.0
Halifax County, NC 81.7 Crisis +7.0
Washington County, NC 78.1 Serious +3.5
Bertie County, NC 76.6 Serious +2.0
Pitt County, NC 72.6 Serious -2.0
Beaufort County, NC 63.6 Elevated -11.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Martin County
Lee County, SC 74.6 Serious -0.0
Fairfield County, SC 74.7 Serious +0.0
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious -0.0
Elbert County, GA 74.6 Serious -0.0
Wayne County, GA 74.5 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Martin 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 Martin 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 Martin County, North Carolina?

    Martin County has a County Distress Index score of 74.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 200th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Martin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Martin County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Martin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Martin County (74.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Edgecombe County, NC (82.6); Halifax County, NC (81.7); Washington County, NC (78.1).

  • 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). Martin County's score of 74.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Martin 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 Martin County?

    Martin County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 21,447 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.