Cumberland County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.7 | 337,890 people · 21st most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Cumberland County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.7 — 461st 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 21st of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Cumberland County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 84.3 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 84.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Debt & Delinquency 72.8
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 40
Student Loan Delinquency 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Community Vulnerability 63.5
Uninsured Rate 67
Disability Rate 60
Income & Poverty 59.2
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 70
Employment & Wages 48.9
Unemployment Rate 67
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cumberland County
Cumberland County, NC 65.7 Serious —
Robeson County, NC 76.3 Serious +10.5
Hoke County, NC 63.3 Elevated -2.4
Bladen County, NC 63.1 Elevated -2.6
Sampson County, NC 61.0 Elevated -4.8
Harnett County, NC 52.5 Elevated -13.3
Moore County, NC 38.2 Normal -27.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cumberland County
Volusia County, FL 65.8 Serious +0.1
Chatham County, GA 65.5 Serious -0.2
Shelby County, TN 65.5 Serious -0.2
Polk County, FL 66.5 Serious +0.7
Orleans Parish, LA 66.6 Serious +0.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cumberland County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Cumberland County.

KINGDOM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Spring Lake
910-484-2722 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase
NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY HOUSING AND CONSULTING, INC
Fayetteville
910-920-3710 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFair Housing

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 Cumberland 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 Cumberland County, North Carolina?

    Cumberland County has a County Distress Index score of 65.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 461st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cumberland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cumberland County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 84.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cumberland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cumberland County (65.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Robeson County, NC (76.3); Hoke County, NC (63.3); Bladen County, NC (63.1).

  • 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 Cumberland County?

    Cumberland County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 337,890 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.