Watauga County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.6 | 54,748 people · 85th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Watauga County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.6 — 1975th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within North Carolina, it ranks 85th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Watauga County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.4 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 91
Economic Vitality 68.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Structural Poverty 35.4
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 16
Transfer Income Dependency 22
Consumer Credit Distress 25.9
Debt in Collections 15
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 11
Legal Distress 1.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Watauga County
Watauga County, NC 43.6 Normal —
Caldwell County, NC 57.6 Elevated +13.9
Johnson County, TN 56.8 Elevated +13.2
Wilkes County, NC 54.2 Elevated +10.6
Avery County, NC 42.5 Normal -1.1
Ashe County, NC 37.2 Normal -6.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Watauga County
Calvert County, MD 43.6 Normal +0.0
Campbell County, VA 43.6 Normal -0.1
Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK 43.8 Normal +0.1
Walla Walla County, WA 43.5 Normal -0.1
Warren County, NJ 43.8 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Watauga 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 Watauga 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 Watauga County, North Carolina?

    Watauga County has a County Distress Index score of 43.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,975th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 85th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Watauga County?

    The primary driver of distress in Watauga County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Watauga County compare to neighboring counties?

    Watauga County (43.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, NC (57.6); Johnson County, TN (56.8); 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 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). Watauga County's score of 43.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Watauga 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 Watauga County?

    Watauga County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 54,748 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.