Rutherford County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.2 | 65,507 people · 32nd most distressed in North Carolina
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Rutherford County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.2 — 695th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within North Carolina, it ranks 32nd 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. Rutherford County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 77.6 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 77.6
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 62
Disability Rate 87
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Consumer Credit Distress 77.4
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 76
Subprime Credit Population 67
Housing Cost Burden 53.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 52
Economic Vitality 45.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 55
Legal Distress 11.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Rutherford County
Rutherford County, NC 64.2 Elevated —
Cleveland County, NC 69.7 Serious +5.5
Cherokee County, SC 63.8 Elevated -0.3
Spartanburg County, SC 61.2 Elevated -2.9
Burke County, NC 60.7 Elevated -3.4
McDowell County, NC 53.2 Elevated -11.0
Buncombe County, NC 52.0 Elevated -12.2
Polk County, NC 42.2 Normal -22.0
Henderson County, NC 41.2 Normal -23.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Rutherford County
Clay County, FL 64.2 Elevated 0.0
Onslow County, NC 64.2 Elevated -0.0
Butte County, CA 64.2 Elevated +0.0
Whitfield County, GA 64.1 Elevated -0.1
Lyon County, NV 64.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rutherford 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 Rutherford 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 Rutherford County, North Carolina?

    Rutherford County has a County Distress Index score of 64.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 695th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rutherford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rutherford County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 77.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Rutherford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rutherford County (64.2) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Cleveland County, NC (69.7); Cherokee County, SC (63.8); Spartanburg County, SC (61.2).

  • 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). Rutherford County's score of 64.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Rutherford 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 Rutherford County?

    Rutherford County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 65,507 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.