Robeson County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 79.6 | 117,365 people · 6th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Robeson County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 79.6 — 73rd 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 6th of 100 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Robeson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 96.1 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 96.1
Debt in Collections 99
Medical Debt 93
Auto Loan Delinquency 96
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 97
Structural Poverty 90.1
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 97
Income vs. State Median 99
Child Poverty Rate 99
Disability Rate 67
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Housing Cost Burden 60.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 57
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 48
Homeownership Rate 83
Economic Vitality 51.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 12
Legal Distress 47.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Robeson County
Robeson County, NC 79.6 Serious —
Scotland County, NC 81.2 Crisis +1.5
Dillon County, SC 76.0 Serious -3.6
Cumberland County, NC 74.3 Serious -5.3
Marlboro County, SC 74.1 Serious -5.5
Bladen County, NC 69.3 Serious -10.3
Columbus County, NC 67.9 Serious -11.7
Hoke County, NC 67.9 Serious -11.8
Horry County, SC 62.1 Elevated -17.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Robeson County
Lowndes County, GA 79.7 Serious +0.0
Liberty County, GA 79.0 Serious -0.6
Starr County, TX 80.3 Crisis +0.7
Cumberland County, NJ 78.8 Serious -0.8
Orangeburg County, SC 78.7 Serious -0.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Robeson 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 Robeson 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 Robeson County, North Carolina?

    Robeson County has a County Distress Index score of 79.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 73rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Robeson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Robeson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 96.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Robeson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Robeson County (79.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Scotland County, NC (81.2); Dillon County, SC (76.0); Cumberland County, NC (74.3).

  • 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). Robeson County's score of 79.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Robeson 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 Robeson County?

    Robeson County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 117,365 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.