Pender County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.4 | 68,521 people · 85th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Pender County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.4 — 2041st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within North Carolina, it ranks 85th of 100 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Pender County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 61.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 61.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 91
Homeownership Rate 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32
Community Vulnerability 54.0
Uninsured Rate 63
Disability Rate 45
Employment & Wages 41.0
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 14
Debt & Delinquency 38.4
Debt in Collections 40
Medical Debt 30
Student Loan Delinquency 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Income & Poverty 27.4
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Pender County
Pender County, NC 44.4 Normal —
Duplin County, NC 66.8 Serious +22.4
Columbus County, NC 64.6 Elevated +20.2
Bladen County, NC 63.1 Elevated +18.7
Sampson County, NC 61.0 Elevated +16.6
Onslow County, NC 58.3 Elevated +13.9
New Hanover County, NC 48.2 Normal +3.8
Brunswick County, NC 46.0 Normal +1.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Pender County
Champaign County, IL 44.4 Normal 0.0
Stanly County, NC 44.3 Normal -0.1
Rankin County, MS 44.5 Normal +0.1
Racine County, WI 44.3 Normal -0.1
Whiteside County, IL 44.3 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pender 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 Pender 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 Pender County, North Carolina?

    Pender County has a County Distress Index score of 44.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,041st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 85th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pender County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pender County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 61.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Pender County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pender County (44.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Duplin County, NC (66.8); Columbus County, NC (64.6); Bladen County, NC (63.1).

  • 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 Pender County?

    Pender County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 68,521 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.