Randolph County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.5 | 147,458 people · 39th most distressed in North Carolina
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Randolph County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.5 — 801st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within North Carolina, it ranks 39th of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Randolph County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 77.9 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 77.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 54
House Price Change (YoY) 69
Consumer Credit Distress 67.1
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 79
Subprime Credit Population 66
Housing Cost Burden 56.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 40
Homeownership Rate 58
Structural Poverty 54.9
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Legal Distress 46.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Randolph County
Randolph County, NC 62.5 Elevated —
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated +1.0
Alamance County, NC 58.7 Elevated -3.9
Davidson County, NC 53.5 Elevated -9.1
Montgomery County, NC 51.0 Elevated -11.5
Moore County, NC 38.7 Normal -23.8
Chatham County, NC 31.6 Healthy -30.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Randolph County
Craven County, NC 62.6 Elevated +0.0
Walker County, AL 62.6 Elevated +0.1
Gordon County, GA 62.3 Elevated -0.2
Muskingum County, OH 62.7 Elevated +0.2
Lafayette Parish, LA 62.3 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Randolph 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 Randolph 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 Randolph County, North Carolina?

    Randolph County has a County Distress Index score of 62.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 801st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Randolph County?

    The primary driver of distress in Randolph County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 77.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Randolph County compare to neighboring counties?

    Randolph County (62.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Guilford County, NC (63.6); Alamance County, NC (58.7); Davidson County, NC (53.5).

  • 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). Randolph County's score of 62.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Randolph 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 Randolph County?

    Randolph County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 147,458 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.