Onslow County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.3 | 213,676 people · 41st most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Onslow County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.3 — 967th 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 41st of 100 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Onslow County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 78.8 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 78.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 76
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Community Vulnerability 61.2
Uninsured Rate 66
Disability Rate 57
Debt & Delinquency 59.1
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 59
Student Loan Delinquency 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 76
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 38
Employment & Wages 56.0
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 43
Income & Poverty 36.2
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Onslow County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Onslow County
Onslow County, NC 58.3 Elevated —
Duplin County, NC 66.8 Serious +8.5
Jones County, NC 64.9 Elevated +6.6
Carteret County, NC 46.3 Normal -11.9
Pender County, NC 44.4 Normal -13.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Onslow County
Lackawanna County, PA 58.3 Elevated 0.0
Douglas County, GA 58.3 Elevated +0.0
Walker County, AL 58.2 Elevated -0.1
Calcasieu Parish, LA 58.2 Elevated -0.1
Chemung County, NY 58.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Onslow County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Onslow County.

CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
Jacksonville
910-938-6551
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingPre-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 Onslow 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 Onslow County, North Carolina?

    Onslow County has a County Distress Index score of 58.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 967th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Onslow County?

    The primary driver of distress in Onslow County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 78.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Onslow County compare to neighboring counties?

    Onslow County (58.3) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Duplin County, NC (66.8); Jones County, NC (64.9); Carteret County, NC (46.3).

  • 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 Onslow County?

    Onslow County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 213,676 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.