Pitt County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.6 | 175,119 people · 16th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Pitt County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.6 — 287th 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 16th 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. Pitt County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 83.7 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 83.7
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 65
Subprime Credit Population 88
Housing Cost Burden 83.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 99
Structural Poverty 53.6
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 36
Legal Distress 51.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51
Economic Vitality 35.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 21
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pitt County
Pitt County, NC 72.6 Serious —
Edgecombe County, NC 82.6 Crisis +10.0
Wilson County, NC 75.8 Serious +3.2
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious +2.0
Greene County, NC 73.6 Serious +1.0
Lenoir County, NC 71.4 Serious -1.2
Beaufort County, NC 63.6 Elevated -9.0
Craven County, NC 62.6 Elevated -10.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pitt County
San Patricio County, TX 72.6 Serious -0.0
Florence County, SC 72.6 Serious -0.0
McKinley County, NM 72.7 Serious +0.1
Richmond city, VA 72.5 Serious -0.1
Calcasieu Parish, LA 72.8 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pitt 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 Pitt 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 Pitt County, North Carolina?

    Pitt County has a County Distress Index score of 72.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 287th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pitt County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pitt County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 83.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Pitt County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pitt County (72.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Edgecombe County, NC (82.6); Wilson County, NC (75.8); Martin County, NC (74.6).

  • 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 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). Pitt County's score of 72.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Pitt 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 Pitt County?

    Pitt County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 175,119 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.