Wayne County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.4 | 118,686 people · 19th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Wayne County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.4 — 339th 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 19th of 100 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wayne County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 81.6 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 81.6
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 87
Economic Vitality 73.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 39
House Price Change (YoY) 55
Housing Cost Burden 64.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 91
Structural Poverty 62.2
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Legal Distress 41.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Wayne County, NC 71.4 Serious —
Wilson County, NC 75.8 Serious +4.4
Greene County, NC 73.6 Serious +2.3
Lenoir County, NC 71.4 Serious +0.1
Duplin County, NC 70.0 Serious -1.4
Sampson County, NC 66.8 Serious -4.6
Johnston County, NC 55.5 Elevated -15.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Kent County, DE 71.4 Serious 0.0
Ross County, OH 71.3 Serious -0.0
Lenoir County, NC 71.4 Serious +0.1
Lamar County, TX 71.1 Serious -0.3
Columbia County, FL 71.0 Serious -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wayne 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County, North Carolina?

    Wayne County has a County Distress Index score of 71.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 339th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wayne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wayne County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 81.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Wayne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wayne County (71.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wilson County, NC (75.8); Greene County, NC (73.6); Lenoir County, NC (71.4).

  • 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). Wayne County's score of 71.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Wayne 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 Wayne County?

    Wayne County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 118,686 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.