Buncombe County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.1 | 275,901 people · 67th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Buncombe County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.1 — 1500th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within North Carolina, it ranks 67th of 100 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Buncombe County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.8 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Community Vulnerability 54.0
Uninsured Rate 77
Disability Rate 31
Employment & Wages 45.2
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 16
Debt & Delinquency 40.5
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 50
Student Loan Delinquency 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Income & Poverty 35.2
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 42

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Buncombe County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Buncombe County
Buncombe County, NC 51.1 Elevated —
Rutherford County, NC 64.5 Elevated +13.3
Madison County, NC 54.1 Elevated +3.0
McDowell County, NC 53.8 Elevated +2.7
Haywood County, NC 50.5 Elevated -0.6
Yancey County, NC 49.6 Normal -1.6
Henderson County, NC 46.6 Normal -4.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Buncombe County
Canyon County, ID 51.1 Elevated -0.0
Seminole County, FL 51.1 Elevated -0.1
Washoe County, NV 51.2 Elevated +0.1
Greene County, MO 51.0 Elevated -0.1
St. Joseph County, IN 51.5 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Buncombe County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Buncombe County.

CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICE OF WNC, INC. - DBA - ONTRACK FINANCIAL EDUCATION & COUNSELING
Asheville
828-255-5166 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase

See all counselors in North Carolina →

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 Buncombe 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 Buncombe County, North Carolina?

    Buncombe County has a County Distress Index score of 51.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,500th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Buncombe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Buncombe County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Buncombe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Buncombe County (51.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Rutherford County, NC (64.5); Madison County, NC (54.1); McDowell County, NC (53.8).

  • 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 Buncombe County?

    Buncombe County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 275,901 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.