Nash County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.7 | 96,551 people · 30th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Nash County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.7 — 511th 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 30th of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Nash County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 84.0 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 84.0
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 97
Uninsured Rate 76
Subprime Credit Population 89
Housing Cost Burden 55.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 87
Legal Distress 54.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55
Structural Poverty 52.8
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Economic Vitality 47.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 52
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 58

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Nash County
Nash County, NC 67.7 Serious —
Edgecombe County, NC 82.6 Crisis +14.9
Halifax County, NC 81.7 Crisis +14.0
Wilson County, NC 75.8 Serious +8.1
Warren County, NC 72.4 Serious +4.7
Franklin County, NC 63.9 Elevated -3.8
Johnston County, NC 55.5 Elevated -12.2
Wake County, NC 43.4 Normal -24.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Nash County
Pueblo County, CO 67.7 Serious -0.0
St. Francois County, MO 67.6 Serious -0.1
Hoke County, NC 67.9 Serious +0.2
Chaves County, NM 67.9 Serious +0.2
Columbus County, NC 67.9 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Nash 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 Nash 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 Nash County, North Carolina?

    Nash County has a County Distress Index score of 67.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 511th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Nash County?

    The primary driver of distress in Nash County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 84.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Nash County compare to neighboring counties?

    Nash County (67.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Edgecombe County, NC (82.6); Halifax County, NC (81.7); Wilson County, NC (75.8).

  • 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 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). Nash County's score of 67.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Nash 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 Nash County?

    Nash County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 96,551 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.