Alleghany County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.9 | 14,595 people · 80th most distressed in Virginia
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Alleghany County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.9 — 1722nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Virginia, it ranks 80th of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Alleghany County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 62.5 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 62.5
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 53
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 58
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 50.2
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 38
Subprime Credit Population 67
Economic Vitality 45.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 50
Legal Distress 40.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Housing Cost Burden 37.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 48
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 23
Homeownership Rate 16

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Alleghany County
Alleghany County, VA 47.9 Normal —
Covington city, VA 62.4 Elevated +14.5
Greenbrier County, WV 54.6 Elevated +6.7
Monroe County, WV 48.5 Normal +0.6
Craig County, VA 42.7 Normal -5.2
Rockbridge County, VA 32.5 Healthy -15.4
Bath County, VA 30.1 Healthy -17.8
Botetourt County, VA 20.9 Healthy -27.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Alleghany County
McKean County, PA 47.8 Normal -0.0
Preston County, WV 47.8 Normal -0.1
Albany County, WY 48.0 Normal +0.1
Rio Grande County, CO 48.0 Normal +0.1
Marion County, MO 47.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Alleghany County

Find an Attorney

Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-552-7977

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Alleghany County residents at no cost.

Virginia Legal Aid Society 540-342-3900
Legal Aid Justice Center 434-977-0553
Legal Services of Northern Virginia 703-778-6800
Virginia Poverty Law Center 804-782-9430
Central Virginia Legal Aid Society 804-648-1012
Blue Ridge Legal Services, Inc. (866) 534-5243
Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia (757) 827-5078
Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society, Inc. (888) 201-2772

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Alleghany County, Virginia?

    Alleghany County has a County Distress Index score of 47.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,722nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 80th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Alleghany County?

    The primary driver of distress in Alleghany County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 62.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Alleghany County compare to neighboring counties?

    Alleghany County (47.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Covington city, VA (62.4); Greenbrier County, WV (54.6); Monroe County, WV (48.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Alleghany County's score of 47.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Alleghany County's CDI score?

    Alleghany County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Alleghany County?

    Alleghany County, Virginia has a population of approximately 14,595 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.