Bristol city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.9 | 16,807 people · 10th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Bristol city, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.9 — 187th 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 10th of 133 counties. It scores higher than all 2 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bristol city's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.3 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Structural Poverty 77.4
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 91
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 75.4
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 77
Economic Vitality 72.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 81
Housing Cost Burden 70.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 88

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bristol city
Bristol city, VA 74.9 Serious —
Sullivan County, TN 58.0 Elevated -16.9
Washington County, VA 45.0 Normal -29.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bristol city
Hamilton County, FL 74.9 Serious -0.0
Adair County, OK 74.9 Serious -0.0
DeSoto County, FL 74.9 Serious -0.1
Sequoyah County, OK 75.0 Serious +0.1
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Bristol city as a CSV file.

Find Help in Bristol city

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 Bristol city 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 Bristol city, Virginia?

    Bristol city has a County Distress Index score of 74.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 187th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bristol city?

    The primary driver of distress in Bristol city is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bristol city compare to neighboring counties?

    Bristol city (74.9) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Sullivan County, TN (58.0); Washington County, VA (45.0).

  • 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 Serious 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). Bristol city's score of 74.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Bristol city's CDI score?

    Bristol city'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 Bristol city?

    Bristol city, Virginia has a population of approximately 16,807 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.