Buchanan County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.5 | 19,087 people · 35th most distressed in Virginia
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Buchanan County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.5 — 848th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Virginia, it ranks 35th of 133 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Buchanan County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 92.0 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 92.0
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 70.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Consumer Credit Distress 63.5
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 26
Subprime Credit Population 76
Housing Cost Burden 44.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 10
Economic Vitality 41.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Buchanan County
Buchanan County, VA 61.5 Elevated —
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious +9.1
Mingo County, WV 67.1 Serious +5.6
McDowell County, WV 63.0 Elevated +1.4
Tazewell County, VA 61.2 Elevated -0.4
Dickenson County, VA 54.3 Elevated -7.3
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated -8.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Buchanan County
Polk County, TN 61.5 Elevated -0.0
Lincoln County, OK 61.6 Elevated +0.1
Jackson Parish, LA 61.6 Elevated +0.1
Saluda County, SC 61.4 Elevated -0.1
Union Parish, LA 61.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Buchanan 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 Buchanan 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 Buchanan County, Virginia?

    Buchanan County has a County Distress Index score of 61.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 848th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Buchanan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Buchanan County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 92.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Buchanan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Buchanan County (61.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pike County, KY (70.6); Mingo County, WV (67.1); McDowell County, WV (63.0).

  • 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 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). Buchanan County's score of 61.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Buchanan 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 Buchanan County?

    Buchanan County, Virginia has a population of approximately 19,087 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.