Stokes County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.6 | 45,532 people · 80th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Stokes County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.6 — 1805th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within North Carolina, it ranks 80th of 100 counties. It scores lower 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. Stokes County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 85.2 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 85.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Structural Poverty 50.6
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 36
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Legal Distress 44.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 45
Consumer Credit Distress 43.8
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 46
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 52
Housing Cost Burden 34.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Stokes County
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal —
Henry County, VA 64.4 Elevated +17.8
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated +17.0
Rockingham County, NC 60.6 Elevated +14.0
Forsyth County, NC 60.1 Elevated +13.5
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated +6.9
Patrick County, VA 51.6 Elevated +5.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Stokes County
Clay County, IN 46.6 Normal +0.0
Pike County, MO 46.6 Normal -0.0
Ray County, MO 46.6 Normal +0.0
Pike County, IL 46.5 Normal -0.1
Alexander County, NC 46.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stokes 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 Stokes 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 Stokes County, North Carolina?

    Stokes County has a County Distress Index score of 46.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,805th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 80th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stokes County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stokes County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 85.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Stokes County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stokes County (46.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Henry County, VA (64.4); Guilford County, NC (63.6); Rockingham County, NC (60.6).

  • 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 Normal 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). Stokes County's score of 46.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Stokes 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 Stokes County?

    Stokes County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 45,532 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.