Yancey County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.5 | 18,938 people · 90th most distressed in North Carolina
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Yancey County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.5 — 2160th 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 90th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Yancey County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 70.2 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 70.2
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Economic Vitality 45.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 35
Rent-to-Income Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 68
Consumer Credit Distress 44.6
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 33
Housing Cost Burden 21.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 23
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 34
Legal Distress 10.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Yancey County
Yancey County, NC 40.5 Normal —
Unicoi County, TN 62.3 Elevated +21.8
McDowell County, NC 53.2 Elevated +12.7
Buncombe County, NC 52.0 Elevated +11.4
Madison County, NC 50.9 Elevated +10.4
Mitchell County, NC 39.7 Normal -0.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Yancey County
Shenandoah County, VA 40.6 Normal +0.0
Wetzel County, WV 40.5 Normal -0.1
Plumas County, CA 40.4 Normal -0.1
Fayette County, IL 40.7 Normal +0.1
Susquehanna County, PA 40.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Yancey 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 Yancey 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 Yancey County, North Carolina?

    Yancey County has a County Distress Index score of 40.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,160th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 90th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Yancey County?

    The primary driver of distress in Yancey County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 70.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Yancey County compare to neighboring counties?

    Yancey County (40.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Unicoi County, TN (62.3); McDowell County, NC (53.2); Buncombe County, NC (52.0).

  • 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). Yancey County's score of 40.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Yancey 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 Yancey County?

    Yancey County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 18,938 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.