Cabarrus County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.4 | 240,016 people · 89th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Cabarrus County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.4 — 2260th 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 89th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Cabarrus County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 71.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 71.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Debt & Delinquency 49.5
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 32
Student Loan Delinquency 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27
Employment & Wages 44.8
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 11
Community Vulnerability 27.6
Uninsured Rate 47
Disability Rate 8
Income & Poverty 13.6
Poverty Rate 13
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Cabarrus County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cabarrus County
Cabarrus County, NC 41.4 Normal —
Rowan County, NC 54.2 Elevated +12.8
Stanly County, NC 44.3 Normal +2.9
Mecklenburg County, NC 44.0 Normal +2.5
Iredell County, NC 35.8 Normal -5.7
Union County, NC 31.9 Healthy -9.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cabarrus County
Iron County, UT 41.5 Normal +0.0
Burnet County, TX 41.5 Normal +0.1
Clay County, MN 41.5 Normal +0.1
Sumner County, TN 41.3 Normal -0.2
Boone County, IL 41.6 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cabarrus County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Cabarrus County.

PROSPERITY UNLIMITED, INC
Kannapolis
704-933-7405
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Cabarrus 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 Cabarrus County, North Carolina?

    Cabarrus County has a County Distress Index score of 41.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,260th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 89th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cabarrus County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cabarrus County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 71.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cabarrus County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cabarrus County (41.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Rowan County, NC (54.2); Stanly County, NC (44.3); Mecklenburg County, NC (44.0).

  • 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 Cabarrus County?

    Cabarrus County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 240,016 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.