Catawba County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.0 | 164,645 people · 84th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Catawba County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.0 — 1988th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within North Carolina, it ranks 84th 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. Catawba County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 57.6 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 57.6
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 64
Student Loan Delinquency 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16
Community Vulnerability 54.1
Uninsured Rate 76
Disability Rate 32
Housing Cost Burden 40.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 40
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Employment & Wages 37.6
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 36
Business Formation Rate 42
Income & Poverty 34.8
Poverty Rate 37
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Catawba County
Catawba County, NC 45.0 Normal —
Burke County, NC 62.7 Elevated +17.7
Caldwell County, NC 57.5 Elevated +12.5
Alexander County, NC 48.2 Normal +3.2
Lincoln County, NC 36.9 Normal -8.1
Iredell County, NC 35.8 Normal -9.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Catawba County
Black Hawk County, IA 45.0 Normal 0.0
Dickson County, TN 45.0 Normal 0.0
DeSoto County, MS 44.9 Normal -0.1
Kootenai County, ID 45.1 Normal +0.1
Parker County, TX 44.9 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Catawba County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Catawba County.

WESTERN PIEDMONT COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
Hickory
828-322-9191 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpHomeless/DisplacementPre-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 Catawba 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 Catawba County, North Carolina?

    Catawba County has a County Distress Index score of 45.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,988th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 84th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Catawba County?

    The primary driver of distress in Catawba County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 57.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Catawba County compare to neighboring counties?

    Catawba County (45.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Burke County, NC (62.7); Caldwell County, NC (57.5); Alexander 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 Catawba County?

    Catawba County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 164,645 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.