Mitchell County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.7 | 14,999 people · 92nd most distressed in North Carolina
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Mitchell County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.7 — 2209th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within North Carolina, it ranks 92nd of 100 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mitchell County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 66.1 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 66.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 60
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Consumer Credit Distress 42.4
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 45
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Uninsured Rate 65
Subprime Credit Population 45
Economic Vitality 34.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 31.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 32
Legal Distress 6.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mitchell County
Mitchell County, NC 39.7 Normal —
Carter County, TN 66.2 Serious +26.4
Unicoi County, TN 62.3 Elevated +22.6
McDowell County, NC 53.2 Elevated +13.5
Avery County, NC 42.5 Normal +2.8
Yancey County, NC 40.5 Normal +0.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mitchell County
Johnson County, IL 39.8 Normal +0.0
Wells County, IN 39.8 Normal +0.0
Roberts County, SD 39.8 Normal +0.0
Mason County, MI 39.7 Normal -0.1
Douglas County, WA 39.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mitchell 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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell County, North Carolina?

    Mitchell County has a County Distress Index score of 39.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,209th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 92nd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mitchell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mitchell County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 66.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Mitchell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mitchell County (39.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Carter County, TN (66.2); Unicoi County, TN (62.3); McDowell County, NC (53.2).

  • 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 Normal 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). Mitchell County's score of 39.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Mitchell 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 Mitchell County?

    Mitchell County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 14,999 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.