Yadkin County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.2 | 37,774 people · 67th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Yadkin County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.2 — 1506th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within North Carolina, it ranks 67th 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. Yadkin County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 75.2 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 75.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 50
House Price Change (YoY) 65
Consumer Credit Distress 52.5
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 33
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 53
Housing Cost Burden 49.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 35
Structural Poverty 46.5
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Legal Distress 28.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Yadkin County
Yadkin County, NC 51.2 Elevated —
Forsyth County, NC 60.1 Elevated +8.9
Wilkes County, NC 54.2 Elevated +3.0
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated +2.3
Iredell County, NC 45.2 Normal -6.0
Davie County, NC 40.0 Normal -11.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Yadkin County
Hickman County, TN 51.2 Elevated +0.0
Sierra County, NM 51.3 Elevated +0.0
Nicholas County, WV 51.3 Elevated +0.1
Washington County, ME 51.1 Elevated -0.1
Clinton County, PA 51.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Yadkin 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 Yadkin 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 Yadkin County, North Carolina?

    Yadkin County has a County Distress Index score of 51.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,506th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Yadkin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Yadkin County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 75.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Yadkin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Yadkin County (51.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Forsyth County, NC (60.1); Wilkes County, NC (54.2); Surry County, NC (53.5).

  • 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). Yadkin County's score of 51.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Yadkin 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 Yadkin County?

    Yadkin County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 37,774 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.