Chowan County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.7 | 13,891 people · 36th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Chowan County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.7 — 851st 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 36th 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. Chowan County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 73.9 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 73.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 44
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 72
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Income & Poverty 62.6
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 79
Debt & Delinquency 61.8
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 55
Student Loan Delinquency 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Employment & Wages 51.2
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 44
Community Vulnerability 49.1
Uninsured Rate 57
Disability Rate 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Chowan County
Chowan County, NC 59.7 Elevated —
Bertie County, NC 77.1 Serious +17.4
Hertford County, NC 74.4 Serious +14.7
Washington County, NC 71.6 Serious +11.9
Perquimans County, NC 59.6 Elevated -0.1
Gates County, NC 57.0 Elevated -2.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Chowan County
Attala County, MS 59.7 Elevated 0.0
Metcalfe County, KY 59.7 Elevated +0.0
Union Parish, LA 59.7 Elevated +0.0
Morgan County, OH 59.7 Elevated -0.0
Henry County, MO 59.8 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chowan 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 Chowan 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 Chowan County, North Carolina?

    Chowan County has a County Distress Index score of 59.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 851st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chowan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chowan County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 73.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Chowan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chowan County (59.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Bertie County, NC (77.1); Hertford County, NC (74.4); Washington County, NC (71.6).

  • 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 Chowan County?

    Chowan County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 13,891 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.