Orange County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Healthy · 34.1 | 150,626 people · 95th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Orange County, NC ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 34.1 — 2689th 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 95th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Orange County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.1 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Employment & Wages 37.0
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 58
Business Formation Rate 27
Debt & Delinquency 20.5
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 23
Student Loan Delinquency 17
Auto Loan Delinquency 49
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8
Community Vulnerability 18.9
Uninsured Rate 36
Disability Rate 2
Income & Poverty 15.2
Poverty Rate 35
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Orange County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Orange County
Orange County, NC 34.1 Healthy —
Caswell County, NC 58.1 Elevated +23.9
Person County, NC 56.5 Elevated +22.4
Alamance County, NC 51.5 Elevated +17.3
Durham County, NC 42.9 Normal +8.8
Chatham County, NC 32.8 Healthy -1.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Orange County
Buffalo County, NE 34.1 Healthy -0.1
Wilson County, TN 34.1 Healthy -0.1
Kauai County, HI 34.3 Healthy +0.1
Johnson County, IA 34.0 Healthy -0.2
Limestone County, AL 34.4 Healthy +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Orange County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Orange County.

CENTRE FOR HOME OWNERSHIP & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Hillsborough
919-322-8118
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
EMPOWERMENT INCORPORATED
Chapel Hill
919-967-8779
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFair Housing

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 Orange 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 Orange County, North Carolina?

    Orange County has a County Distress Index score of 34.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,689th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 95th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Orange County?

    The primary driver of distress in Orange County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Orange County compare to neighboring counties?

    Orange County (34.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Caswell County, NC (58.1); Person County, NC (56.5); Alamance County, NC (51.5).

  • 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 Orange County?

    Orange County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 150,626 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.