Cleveland County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.5 | 101,378 people · 33rd most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Cleveland County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.5 — 798th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within North Carolina, it ranks 33rd of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Cleveland County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 81.8 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 81.8
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 90
Student Loan Delinquency 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 49
Income & Poverty 67.0
Poverty Rate 74
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 82
Community Vulnerability 64.0
Uninsured Rate 67
Disability Rate 61
Housing Cost Burden 50.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 20
Employment & Wages 39.2
Unemployment Rate 61
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 45

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cleveland County
Cleveland County, NC 60.5 Elevated —
Rutherford County, NC 64.5 Elevated +4.0
Burke County, NC 62.7 Elevated +2.2
Gaston County, NC 60.4 Elevated -0.2
Cherokee County, SC 58.4 Elevated -2.1
York County, SC 46.0 Normal -14.5
Lincoln County, NC 36.9 Normal -23.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cleveland County
Pearl River County, MS 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Umatilla County, OR 60.5 Elevated +0.0
Jefferson County, OH 60.6 Elevated +0.1
Taylor County, TX 60.4 Elevated -0.1
Gibson County, TN 60.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cleveland County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Cleveland County.

CLEVELAND COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Shelby
704-480-7701
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 Cleveland 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 Cleveland County, North Carolina?

    Cleveland County has a County Distress Index score of 60.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 798th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cleveland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cleveland County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 81.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Cleveland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cleveland County (60.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Rutherford County, NC (64.5); Burke County, NC (62.7); Gaston County, NC (60.4).

  • 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 Cleveland County?

    Cleveland County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 101,378 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.