Montgomery County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.3 | 26,085 people · 54th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Montgomery County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.3 — 1263rd 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 54th of 100 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Montgomery County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 77.3 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 77.3
Uninsured Rate 82
Disability Rate 73
Income & Poverty 67.4
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 71
Child Poverty Rate 66
Debt & Delinquency 57.3
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 39
Student Loan Delinquency 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 14
Employment & Wages 41.0
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Business Formation Rate 50
Housing Cost Burden 28.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, NC 54.3 Elevated —
Anson County, NC 75.5 Serious +21.3
Richmond County, NC 68.6 Serious +14.4
Randolph County, NC 61.0 Elevated +6.8
Rowan County, NC 54.2 Elevated -0.0
Davidson County, NC 49.0 Normal -5.3
Stanly County, NC 44.3 Normal -9.9
Moore County, NC 38.2 Normal -16.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Montgomery County
Starke County, IN 54.3 Elevated +0.0
Winston County, AL 54.3 Elevated +0.0
Bollinger County, MO 54.3 Elevated +0.0
Douglas County, WA 54.2 Elevated -0.0
Dale County, AL 54.2 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Montgomery County.

SANDHILLS COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM, INC.
TROY
910-606-4044-209 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPre-PurchaseRental Help

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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, North Carolina?

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 54.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,263rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 77.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (54.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Anson County, NC (75.5); Richmond County, NC (68.6); Randolph County, NC (61.0).

  • 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 26,085 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.