Sampson County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.8 | 59,601 people · 31st most distressed in North Carolina
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Sampson County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.8 — 563rd 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 31st of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sampson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 83.2 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 83.2
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 96
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 89
Structural Poverty 68.0
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 38
Transfer Income Dependency 72
Housing Cost Burden 54.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 58
Legal Distress 38.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 38
Economic Vitality 32.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 24
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sampson County
Sampson County, NC 66.8 Serious —
Cumberland County, NC 74.3 Serious +7.5
Wayne County, NC 71.4 Serious +4.6
Duplin County, NC 70.0 Serious +3.2
Bladen County, NC 69.3 Serious +2.5
Harnett County, NC 61.0 Elevated -5.8
Johnston County, NC 55.5 Elevated -11.3
Pender County, NC 50.1 Elevated -16.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sampson County
Terrebonne Parish, LA 66.8 Serious +0.0
Jasper County, MO 66.8 Serious -0.0
Kings County, CA 66.8 Serious -0.0
Lee County, MS 66.9 Serious +0.1
Bossier Parish, LA 67.0 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sampson 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 Sampson 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 Sampson County, North Carolina?

    Sampson County has a County Distress Index score of 66.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 563rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sampson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sampson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 83.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Sampson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sampson County (66.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Cumberland County, NC (74.3); Wayne County, NC (71.4); Duplin County, NC (70.0).

  • 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 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). Sampson County's score of 66.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Sampson 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 Sampson County?

    Sampson County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 59,601 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.