Macon County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.9 | 38,412 people · 62nd most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Macon County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.9 — 1381st 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 62nd of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Macon County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 69.3 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 69.3
Uninsured Rate 86
Disability Rate 52
Housing Cost Burden 56.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Income & Poverty 56.4
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 63
Debt & Delinquency 45.1
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 57
Student Loan Delinquency 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5
Employment & Wages 36.7
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Macon County
Macon County, NC 52.9 Elevated —
Graham County, NC 59.6 Elevated +6.8
Clay County, NC 57.5 Elevated +4.6
Cherokee County, NC 56.3 Elevated +3.4
Swain County, NC 55.1 Elevated +2.3
Jackson County, NC 54.7 Elevated +1.8
Rabun County, GA 52.8 Elevated -0.1
Oconee County, SC 48.3 Normal -4.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Macon County
Randolph County, AL 52.9 Elevated -0.0
Covington County, MS 52.9 Elevated -0.0
Benewah County, ID 52.9 Elevated +0.0
Williamsburg city, VA 52.9 Elevated +0.0
Carroll County, AR 53.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Macon 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 Macon 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 Macon County, North Carolina?

    Macon County has a County Distress Index score of 52.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,381st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Macon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Macon County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 69.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Macon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Macon County (52.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Graham County, NC (59.6); Clay County, NC (57.5); Cherokee County, NC (56.3).

  • 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 Macon County?

    Macon County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 38,412 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.