Scotland County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Crisis · 81.2 | 34,376 people · 5th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Scotland County, NC ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 81.2 — 50th 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 5th of 100 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Scotland County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 94.9 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 94.9
Debt in Collections 99
Medical Debt 91
Auto Loan Delinquency 96
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 76
Subprime Credit Population 97
Structural Poverty 89.3
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 99
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Housing Cost Burden 75.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 63
Homeownership Rate 94
Legal Distress 46.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Economic Vitality 40.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 52
House Price Change (YoY) 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scotland County
Scotland County, NC 81.2 Crisis —
Robeson County, NC 79.6 Serious -1.5
Richmond County, NC 74.8 Serious -6.4
Marlboro County, SC 74.1 Serious -7.1
Hoke County, NC 67.9 Serious -13.3
Moore County, NC 38.7 Normal -42.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scotland County
Williamsburg County, SC 81.1 Crisis -0.0
Brooks County, GA 81.0 Crisis -0.2
Jim Wells County, TX 81.0 Crisis -0.2
McDuffie County, GA 81.5 Crisis +0.3
Cook County, GA 80.7 Crisis -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scotland 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 Scotland 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 Scotland County, North Carolina?

    Scotland County has a County Distress Index score of 81.2 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 50th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scotland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scotland County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 94.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Scotland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scotland County (81.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Robeson County, NC (79.6); Richmond County, NC (74.8); Marlboro County, SC (74.1).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Scotland County's score of 81.2 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Scotland 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 Scotland County?

    Scotland County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 34,376 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.