Perquimans County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.0 | 13,377 people · 58th most distressed in North Carolina
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Perquimans County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.0 — 1340th 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 58th 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. Perquimans County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 66.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 66.6
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Consumer Credit Distress 57.1
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 60
Economic Vitality 50.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 48
House Price Change (YoY) 37
Housing Cost Burden 46.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 25
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 58
Legal Distress 38.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Perquimans County
Perquimans County, NC 54.0 Elevated —
Washington County, NC 78.1 Serious +24.1
Pasquotank County, NC 70.7 Serious +16.7
Chowan County, NC 63.6 Elevated +9.6
Gates County, NC 58.3 Elevated +4.3
Tyrrell County, NC 57.1 Elevated +3.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Perquimans County
Edmonson County, KY 54.0 Elevated 0.0
Kalkaska County, MI 54.0 Elevated +0.0
Yell County, AR 53.9 Elevated -0.1
Wright County, MO 53.9 Elevated -0.1
Knox County, IN 53.8 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Perquimans 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 Perquimans 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 Perquimans County, North Carolina?

    Perquimans County has a County Distress Index score of 54.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,340th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Perquimans County?

    The primary driver of distress in Perquimans County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 66.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Perquimans County compare to neighboring counties?

    Perquimans County (54.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Washington County, NC (78.1); Pasquotank County, NC (70.7); Chowan County, NC (63.6).

  • 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). Perquimans County's score of 54.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Perquimans 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 Perquimans County?

    Perquimans County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 13,377 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.