Rockingham County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.6 | 92,518 people · 45th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Rockingham County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.6 — 912th 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 45th of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Rockingham County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 67.7 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 67.7
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 78
Structural Poverty 60.9
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 54
Disability Rate 67
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Economic Vitality 56.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Housing Cost Burden 53.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 36
Homeownership Rate 60
Legal Distress 42.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Rockingham County
Rockingham County, NC 60.6 Elevated —
Henry County, VA 64.4 Elevated +3.7
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated +2.9
Caswell County, NC 61.3 Elevated +0.7
Forsyth County, NC 60.1 Elevated -0.5
Alamance County, NC 58.7 Elevated -2.0
Pittsylvania County, VA 54.7 Elevated -5.9
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal -14.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Rockingham County
Putnam County, TN 60.6 Elevated -0.0
Burke County, NC 60.7 Elevated +0.1
Kankakee County, IL 60.8 Elevated +0.1
Crawford County, AR 60.5 Elevated -0.2
Monroe County, FL 60.8 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rockingham 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 Rockingham 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 Rockingham County, North Carolina?

    Rockingham County has a County Distress Index score of 60.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 912th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rockingham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rockingham County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 67.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Rockingham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rockingham County (60.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Henry County, VA (64.4); Guilford County, NC (63.6); Caswell County, NC (61.3).

  • 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 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). Rockingham County's score of 60.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Rockingham 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 Rockingham County?

    Rockingham County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 92,518 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.