Amelia County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.1 | 13,480 people · 69th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Amelia County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.1 — 1392nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Virginia, it ranks 69th of 133 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Amelia County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 78.3 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 78.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Economic Vitality 77.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 51
Housing Cost Burden 52.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 87
Homeownership Rate 14
Consumer Credit Distress 48.6
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 14
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 38
Subprime Credit Population 56
Structural Poverty 39.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 31
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Amelia County
Amelia County, VA 53.1 Elevated —
Prince Edward County, VA 66.7 Serious +13.6
Nottoway County, VA 63.7 Elevated +10.6
Dinwiddie County, VA 60.3 Elevated +7.2
Cumberland County, VA 56.7 Elevated +3.6
Chesterfield County, VA 51.3 Elevated -1.8
Powhatan County, VA 28.6 Healthy -24.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Amelia County
Stone County, AR 53.1 Elevated -0.0
Marion County, IL 53.1 Elevated -0.0
Seneca County, NY 53.1 Elevated -0.0
Vernon County, MO 53.1 Elevated +0.0
Accomack County, VA 53.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Amelia 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 Amelia 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 Amelia County, Virginia?

    Amelia County has a County Distress Index score of 53.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,392nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 69th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Amelia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Amelia County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 78.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Amelia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Amelia County (53.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Prince Edward County, VA (66.7); Nottoway County, VA (63.7); Dinwiddie County, VA (60.3).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Amelia County's score of 53.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Amelia 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 Amelia County?

    Amelia County, Virginia has a population of approximately 13,480 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.