Amherst County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.5 | 31,396 people · 45th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Amherst County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.5 — 1041st 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 45th of 133 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Amherst County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.8 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 91
Economic Vitality 74.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 77
Structural Poverty 55.2
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 41
Disability Rate 51
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Consumer Credit Distress 54.3
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Uninsured Rate 32
Subprime Credit Population 51
Housing Cost Burden 52.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Amherst County
Amherst County, VA 58.5 Elevated —
Lynchburg city, VA 65.2 Serious +6.7
Appomattox County, VA 45.4 Normal -13.2
Campbell County, VA 43.6 Normal -15.0
Bedford County, VA 38.6 Normal -19.9
Nelson County, VA 36.8 Normal -21.7
Rockbridge County, VA 32.5 Healthy -26.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Amherst County
Jefferson Davis Parish, LA 58.6 Elevated +0.1
Trigg County, KY 58.4 Elevated -0.1
Coshocton County, OH 58.4 Elevated -0.1
Lumpkin County, GA 58.4 Elevated -0.1
Alamosa County, CO 58.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Amherst 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 Amherst 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Virginia →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Amherst County has a County Distress Index score of 58.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,041st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Amherst County?

    The primary driver of distress in Amherst County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Amherst County compare to neighboring counties?

    Amherst County (58.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lynchburg city, VA (65.2); Appomattox County, VA (45.4); Campbell County, VA (43.6).

  • 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). Amherst County's score of 58.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Amherst 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 Amherst County?

    Amherst County, Virginia has a population of approximately 31,396 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.