Watauga County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.3 | 54,748 people · 73rd most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Watauga County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.3 — 1643rd 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 73rd of 100 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Watauga County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.6 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 100
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 100
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Employment & Wages 54.9
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 53
Income & Poverty 47.9
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 21
Community Vulnerability 42.4
Uninsured Rate 69
Disability Rate 16
Debt & Delinquency 23.7
Debt in Collections 15
Medical Debt 49
Student Loan Delinquency 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Watauga County
Watauga County, NC 49.3 Normal —
Johnson County, TN 63.2 Elevated +13.9
Wilkes County, NC 58.4 Elevated +9.1
Caldwell County, NC 57.5 Elevated +8.2
Avery County, NC 54.0 Elevated +4.7
Ashe County, NC 50.4 Elevated +1.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Watauga County
Hall County, GA 49.3 Normal -0.0
Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK 49.3 Normal +0.0
Hood County, TX 49.3 Normal -0.1
Granville County, NC 49.3 Normal -0.1
Yamhill County, OR 49.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Watauga 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 Watauga 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 Watauga County, North Carolina?

    Watauga County has a County Distress Index score of 49.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,643rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 73rd in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Watauga County?

    The primary driver of distress in Watauga County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Watauga County compare to neighboring counties?

    Watauga County (49.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Johnson County, TN (63.2); Wilkes County, NC (58.4); Caldwell County, NC (57.5).

  • 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 Watauga County?

    Watauga County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 54,748 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.