Brunswick County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.0 | 159,964 people · 83rd most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Brunswick County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.0 — 1895th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within North Carolina, it ranks 83rd of 100 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Brunswick County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 58.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 58.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Employment & Wages 57.0
Unemployment Rate 55
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 27
Community Vulnerability 47.4
Uninsured Rate 50
Disability Rate 45
Debt & Delinquency 41.3
Debt in Collections 32
Medical Debt 52
Student Loan Delinquency 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32
Income & Poverty 26.5
Poverty Rate 23
Income vs. State Median 12
Child Poverty Rate 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Brunswick County
Brunswick County, NC 46.0 Normal —
Columbus County, NC 64.6 Elevated +18.5
Horry County, SC 61.4 Elevated +15.4
New Hanover County, NC 48.2 Normal +2.2
Pender County, NC 44.4 Normal -1.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Brunswick County
Monroe County, IN 46.0 Normal -0.1
Steuben County, NY 46.0 Normal -0.1
St. Louis County, MN 46.1 Normal +0.1
Knox County, OH 46.0 Normal -0.1
Northumberland County, PA 45.9 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brunswick 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 Brunswick 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 Brunswick County, North Carolina?

    Brunswick County has a County Distress Index score of 46.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,895th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 83rd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brunswick County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brunswick County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 58.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Brunswick County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brunswick County (46.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Columbus County, NC (64.6); Horry County, SC (61.4); New Hanover County, NC (48.2).

  • 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 Brunswick County?

    Brunswick County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 159,964 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.