Person County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.5 | 39,737 people · 26th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Person County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.5 — 465th 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 26th of 100 counties. It scores higher 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. Person County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 79.1 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 79.1
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 52
Subprime Credit Population 76
Housing Cost Burden 78.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 42
Structural Poverty 53.2
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 66
Legal Distress 41.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Economic Vitality 34.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 17
Business Formation Rate 50
House Price Change (YoY) 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Person County
Person County, NC 68.5 Serious —
Halifax County, VA 66.5 Serious -2.0
Caswell County, NC 61.3 Elevated -7.2
Granville County, NC 60.9 Elevated -7.6
Durham County, NC 54.3 Elevated -14.2
Orange County, NC 37.9 Normal -30.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Person County
Dawson County, TX 68.5 Serious +0.0
Chambers County, AL 68.5 Serious +0.0
Campbell County, TN 68.5 Serious +0.0
Okeechobee County, FL 68.3 Serious -0.1
Pike County, OH 68.7 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Person 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 Person 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 Person County, North Carolina?

    Person County has a County Distress Index score of 68.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 465th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Person County?

    The primary driver of distress in Person County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 79.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Person County compare to neighboring counties?

    Person County (68.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Halifax County, VA (66.5); Caswell County, NC (61.3); Granville County, NC (60.9).

  • 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). Person County's score of 68.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Person 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 Person County?

    Person County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 39,737 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.