Rowan County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.2 | 151,661 people · 41st most distressed in North Carolina
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Rowan County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.2 — 869th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within North Carolina, it ranks 41st of 100 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Rowan County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 70.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 70.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 66
Consumer Credit Distress 69.4
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 77
Economic Vitality 49.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 37
House Price Change (YoY) 44
Structural Poverty 47.9
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 42
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Legal Distress 20.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Rowan County
Rowan County, NC 61.2 Elevated —
Davidson County, NC 53.5 Elevated -7.8
Cabarrus County, NC 53.1 Elevated -8.1
Montgomery County, NC 51.0 Elevated -10.2
Stanly County, NC 50.3 Elevated -11.0
Iredell County, NC 45.2 Normal -16.0
Davie County, NC 40.0 Normal -21.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Rowan County
Livingston Parish, LA 61.3 Elevated +0.1
Bastrop County, TX 61.1 Elevated -0.1
Charles County, MD 61.4 Elevated +0.1
Pickens County, SC 61.4 Elevated +0.1
McMinn County, TN 61.4 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rowan 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 Rowan 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 Rowan County, North Carolina?

    Rowan County has a County Distress Index score of 61.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 869th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rowan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rowan County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 70.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Rowan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rowan County (61.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Davidson County, NC (53.5); Cabarrus County, NC (53.1); Montgomery County, NC (51.0).

  • 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). Rowan County's score of 61.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Rowan 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 Rowan County?

    Rowan County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 151,661 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.