Bedford County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.6 | 81,525 people · 104th most distressed in Virginia
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Bedford County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.6 — 2278th 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 104th of 133 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 8 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bedford County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 67.8 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 67.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Economic Vitality 57.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 46
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 55.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 5
Structural Poverty 27.9
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 20
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Consumer Credit Distress 25.4
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 34
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Uninsured Rate 29
Subprime Credit Population 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bedford County
Bedford County, VA 38.6 Normal —
Lynchburg city, VA 65.2 Serious +26.6
Amherst County, VA 58.5 Elevated +19.9
Pittsylvania County, VA 54.7 Elevated +16.1
Campbell County, VA 43.6 Normal +5.0
Franklin County, VA 37.5 Normal -1.1
Roanoke County, VA 34.6 Healthy -4.0
Rockbridge County, VA 32.5 Healthy -6.1
Botetourt County, VA 20.9 Healthy -17.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bedford County
Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK 38.6 Normal -0.0
Tooele County, UT 38.5 Normal -0.1
Moore County, NC 38.7 Normal +0.1
Mason County, WA 38.4 Normal -0.2
Columbia County, NY 38.4 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bedford 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 Bedford 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 Bedford County, Virginia?

    Bedford County has a County Distress Index score of 38.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,278th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 104th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bedford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bedford County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 67.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bedford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bedford County (38.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Lynchburg city, VA (65.2); Amherst County, VA (58.5); Pittsylvania County, VA (54.7).

  • 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). Bedford County's score of 38.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Bedford 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 Bedford County?

    Bedford County, Virginia has a population of approximately 81,525 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.