Bland County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.2 | 6,179 people · 113th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Bland County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.2 — 2414th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filings are moderately elevated. Within Virginia, it ranks 113th of 133 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bland County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 63.7 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 63.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 64
Structural Poverty 62.1
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 53
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 38
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Consumer Credit Distress 41.3
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 46
Economic Vitality 21.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 28
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Housing Cost Burden 6.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bland County
Bland County, VA 36.2 Normal —
Mercer County, WV 64.6 Elevated +28.4
Tazewell County, VA 61.2 Elevated +25.0
Smyth County, VA 60.1 Elevated +23.9
Wythe County, VA 59.8 Elevated +23.6
Pulaski County, VA 55.6 Elevated +19.4
Giles County, VA 41.9 Normal +5.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bland County
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK 36.2 Normal +0.0
Golden Valley County, MT 36.3 Normal +0.1
Gregory County, SD 36.4 Normal +0.1
Pocahontas County, WV 36.0 Normal -0.2
Wahkiakum County, WA 36.4 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bland 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 Bland 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 Bland County, Virginia?

    Bland County has a County Distress Index score of 36.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,414th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 113th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bland County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 63.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bland County (36.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mercer County, WV (64.6); Tazewell County, VA (61.2); Smyth County, VA (60.1).

  • 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). Bland County's score of 36.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Bland 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 Bland County?

    Bland County, Virginia has a population of approximately 6,179 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.