Washington County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 78.1 | 10,713 people · 7th most distressed in North Carolina
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Washington County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 78.1 — 100th 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 7th of 100 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Washington County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 89.8 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 89.8
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 88.0
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 91
Legal Distress 76.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Housing Cost Burden 65.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 75
Economic Vitality 42.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 94

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Washington County
Washington County, NC 78.1 Serious —
Bertie County, NC 76.6 Serious -1.5
Martin County, NC 74.6 Serious -3.5
Hyde County, NC 68.1 Serious -10.0
Beaufort County, NC 63.6 Elevated -14.5
Chowan County, NC 63.6 Elevated -14.5
Tyrrell County, NC 57.1 Elevated -21.0
Perquimans County, NC 54.0 Elevated -24.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Washington County
Sequatchie County, TN 78.0 Serious -0.1
Burke County, GA 78.0 Serious -0.1
Bradford County, FL 78.0 Serious -0.1
Early County, GA 77.9 Serious -0.2
Hardeman County, TN 77.8 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County, North Carolina?

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 78.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 100th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 89.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Washington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Washington County (78.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Bertie County, NC (76.6); Martin County, NC (74.6); Hyde County, NC (68.1).

  • 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 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). Washington County's score of 78.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Washington 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 Washington County?

    Washington County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 10,713 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.