Warren County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.4 | 18,836 people · 17th most distressed in North Carolina
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Warren County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.4 — 296th 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 17th of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Warren County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.0 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.0
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 92
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Consumer Credit Distress 79.0
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 76
Legal Distress 70.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Economic Vitality 60.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Housing Cost Burden 55.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 74
Homeownership Rate 72

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Warren County
Warren County, NC 72.4 Serious —
Vance County, NC 82.3 Crisis +9.8
Halifax County, NC 81.7 Crisis +9.2
Northampton County, NC 75.4 Serious +2.9
Nash County, NC 67.7 Serious -4.7
Franklin County, NC 63.9 Elevated -8.5
Brunswick County, VA 63.7 Elevated -8.8
Mecklenburg County, VA 61.9 Elevated -10.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Warren County
Bradley County, AR 72.4 Serious 0.0
Candler County, GA 72.5 Serious +0.0
Johnson County, KY 72.5 Serious +0.0
Clark County, AR 72.4 Serious -0.1
Hale County, TX 72.3 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren County, North Carolina?

    Warren County has a County Distress Index score of 72.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 296th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Warren County?

    The primary driver of distress in Warren County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Warren County compare to neighboring counties?

    Warren County (72.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Vance County, NC (82.3); Halifax County, NC (81.7); Northampton County, NC (75.4).

  • 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). Warren County's score of 72.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Warren 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 Warren County?

    Warren County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 18,836 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.