Alexander County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.2 | 36,473 people · 79th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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

Alexander County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.2 — 1735th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage gaps and disability rates are moderately elevated. Within North Carolina, it ranks 79th of 100 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Alexander County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 63.1 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 63.1
Uninsured Rate 56
Disability Rate 70
Employment & Wages 53.4
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 56
Debt & Delinquency 53.1
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 53
Student Loan Delinquency 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11
Income & Poverty 42.5
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 48
Housing Cost Burden 28.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 19
Homeownership Rate 12
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Alexander County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Alexander County
Alexander County, NC 48.2 Normal —
Wilkes County, NC 58.4 Elevated +10.2
Caldwell County, NC 57.5 Elevated +9.3
Catawba County, NC 45.0 Normal -3.2
Iredell County, NC 35.8 Normal -12.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Alexander County
Young County, TX 48.2 Normal +0.0
Banks County, GA 48.1 Normal -0.0
Idaho County, ID 48.1 Normal -0.0
Pend Oreille County, WA 48.1 Normal -0.0
Humphreys County, TN 48.2 Normal +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Alexander 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 Alexander 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 Alexander County, North Carolina?

    Alexander County has a County Distress Index score of 48.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,735th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 79th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Alexander County?

    The primary driver of distress in Alexander County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 63.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Alexander County compare to neighboring counties?

    Alexander County (48.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Wilkes County, NC (58.4); Caldwell County, NC (57.5); Catawba County, NC (45.0).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Alexander County?

    Alexander County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 36,473 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.