Rowan County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.2 | 151,661 people · 55th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Rowan County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.2 — 1265th 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 55th of 100 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Rowan County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 63.6 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 63.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 65
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Debt & Delinquency 61.4
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 34
Student Loan Delinquency 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21
Community Vulnerability 54.2
Uninsured Rate 66
Disability Rate 42
Income & Poverty 51.4
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 64
Employment & Wages 40.5
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Rowan County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Rowan County
Rowan County, NC 54.2 Elevated —
Montgomery County, NC 54.3 Elevated +0.0
Davidson County, NC 49.0 Normal -5.2
Stanly County, NC 44.3 Normal -9.9
Cabarrus County, NC 41.4 Normal -12.8
Davie County, NC 40.1 Normal -14.1
Iredell County, NC 35.8 Normal -18.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Rowan County
Johnson County, TX 54.2 Elevated +0.0
Rock Island County, IL 54.2 Elevated -0.0
Montgomery County, TN 54.2 Elevated -0.0
Camden County, GA 54.3 Elevated +0.1
Jefferson County, NY 54.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rowan 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 Rowan 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 Rowan County, North Carolina?

    Rowan County has a County Distress Index score of 54.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,265th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rowan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rowan County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 63.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Rowan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rowan County (54.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Montgomery County, NC (54.3); Davidson County, NC (49.0); Stanly County, NC (44.3).

  • 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 Rowan County?

    Rowan County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 151,661 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.