Gates County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.0 | 10,343 people · 47th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Gates County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.0 — 1081st 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 47th of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Gates County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 73.4 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 73.4
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 74
Student Loan Delinquency 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Employment & Wages 71.4
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 89
Income & Poverty 49.3
Poverty Rate 54
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 59
Community Vulnerability 49.1
Uninsured Rate 36
Disability Rate 62
Housing Cost Burden 41.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Gates County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Gates County
Gates County, NC 57.0 Elevated —
Hertford County, NC 74.4 Serious +17.4
Pasquotank County, NC 64.8 Elevated +7.9
Chowan County, NC 59.7 Elevated +2.7
Perquimans County, NC 59.6 Elevated +2.6
Southampton County, VA 51.0 Elevated -6.0
Suffolk city, VA 48.8 Normal -8.2
Camden County, NC 29.2 Healthy -27.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Gates County
Marion County, MS 57.0 Elevated 0.0
Lampasas County, TX 57.0 Elevated 0.0
Silver Bow County, MT 57.0 Elevated -0.0
Scotts Bluff County, NE 56.9 Elevated -0.1
Mackinac County, MI 56.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gates 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 Gates 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 Gates County, North Carolina?

    Gates County has a County Distress Index score of 57.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,081st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gates County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gates County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 73.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Gates County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gates County (57.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Hertford County, NC (74.4); Pasquotank County, NC (64.8); Chowan County, NC (59.7).

  • 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 Gates County?

    Gates County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 10,343 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.