Surry County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.5 | 71,462 people · 59th most distressed in North Carolina
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Surry County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.5 — 1368th 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 59th of 100 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 8 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Surry County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 65.4 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 65.4
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 53
Structural Poverty 55.5
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 53
Income vs. State Median 59
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Housing Cost Burden 45.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 56
Economic Vitality 36.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Business Formation Rate 48
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Legal Distress 19.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Surry County
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated —
Forsyth County, NC 60.1 Elevated +6.6
Grayson County, VA 54.6 Elevated +1.1
Wilkes County, NC 54.2 Elevated +0.7
Carroll County, VA 53.6 Elevated +0.1
Patrick County, VA 51.6 Elevated -1.9
Yadkin County, NC 51.2 Elevated -2.3
Alleghany County, NC 48.6 Normal -4.9
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal -6.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Surry County
Umatilla County, OR 53.5 Elevated -0.0
Davidson County, NC 53.5 Elevated -0.0
Morgan County, IN 53.4 Elevated -0.1
Jackson County, OR 53.6 Elevated +0.1
Kenosha County, WI 53.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Surry 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 Surry 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 Surry County, North Carolina?

    Surry County has a County Distress Index score of 53.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,368th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 59th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Surry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Surry County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 65.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Surry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Surry County (53.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Forsyth County, NC (60.1); Grayson County, VA (54.6); Wilkes County, NC (54.2).

  • 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). Surry County's score of 53.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Surry 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 Surry County?

    Surry County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 71,462 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.