Wilkes County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.2 | 66,013 people · 57th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Wilkes County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.2 — 1331st 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 57th of 100 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wilkes County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 70.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 70.6
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 70
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Consumer Credit Distress 63.5
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 53
Economic Vitality 46.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 68
House Price Change (YoY) 42
Housing Cost Burden 36.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 30
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 53
Legal Distress 27.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wilkes County
Wilkes County, NC 54.2 Elevated —
Caldwell County, NC 57.6 Elevated +3.4
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated -0.7
Yadkin County, NC 51.2 Elevated -3.0
Alleghany County, NC 48.6 Normal -5.6
Alexander County, NC 46.7 Normal -7.5
Iredell County, NC 45.2 Normal -9.0
Watauga County, NC 43.6 Normal -10.6
Ashe County, NC 37.2 Normal -17.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wilkes County
Portage County, OH 54.2 Elevated +0.0
Randall County, TX 54.2 Elevated +0.0
Logan County, OK 54.0 Elevated -0.2
Wise County, TX 54.0 Elevated -0.2
Grady County, OK 54.5 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wilkes 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 Wilkes 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Wilkes County, North Carolina?

    Wilkes County has a County Distress Index score of 54.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,331st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wilkes County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wilkes County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 70.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wilkes County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wilkes County (54.2) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, NC (57.6); Surry County, NC (53.5); Yadkin County, NC (51.2).

  • 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). Wilkes County's score of 54.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Wilkes 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 Wilkes County?

    Wilkes County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 66,013 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.