Haywood County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.5 | 62,969 people · 70th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Haywood County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.5 — 1550th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within North Carolina, it ranks 70th of 100 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Haywood County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 68.0 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 68.0
Uninsured Rate 73
Disability Rate 63
Housing Cost Burden 53.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Employment & Wages 51.9
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 47
Debt & Delinquency 42.8
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 50
Student Loan Delinquency 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Income & Poverty 36.5
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Haywood County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Haywood County
Haywood County, NC 50.5 Elevated —
Cocke County, TN 75.6 Serious +25.1
Swain County, NC 55.1 Elevated +4.6
Jackson County, NC 54.7 Elevated +4.2
Madison County, NC 54.1 Elevated +3.7
Sevier County, TN 52.8 Elevated +2.3
Buncombe County, NC 51.1 Elevated +0.6
Transylvania County, NC 50.8 Elevated +0.3
Henderson County, NC 46.6 Normal -3.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Haywood County
Pickaway County, OH 50.5 Elevated -0.0
Schenectady County, NY 50.4 Elevated -0.1
Columbia County, OR 50.4 Elevated -0.1
Cullman County, AL 50.4 Elevated -0.1
Hawaii County, HI 50.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Haywood County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Haywood County.

Mountain Projects, Inc.
Waynesville
828-452-1447 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPost-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 Haywood 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 Haywood County, North Carolina?

    Haywood County has a County Distress Index score of 50.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,550th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 70th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Haywood County?

    The primary driver of distress in Haywood County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 68.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Haywood County compare to neighboring counties?

    Haywood County (50.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Cocke County, TN (75.6); Swain County, NC (55.1); Jackson County, NC (54.7).

  • 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 Haywood County?

    Haywood County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 62,969 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.