Buckingham County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.3 | 16,978 people · 19th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Buckingham County, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.3 — 530th 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 19th of 133 counties. It scores higher 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. Buckingham County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.3 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Structural Poverty 75.3
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 82
Consumer Credit Distress 73.7
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 14
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 90
Uninsured Rate 62
Subprime Credit Population 86
Housing Cost Burden 54.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 36
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 75
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 39
Economic Vitality 36.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 42

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Buckingham County
Buckingham County, VA 67.3 Serious —
Prince Edward County, VA 66.7 Serious -0.6
Cumberland County, VA 56.7 Elevated -10.6
Appomattox County, VA 45.4 Normal -21.9
Nelson County, VA 36.8 Normal -30.5
Fluvanna County, VA 36.8 Normal -30.5
Albemarle County, VA 34.4 Healthy -32.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Buckingham County
Murray County, GA 67.2 Serious -0.1
Carroll County, TN 67.4 Serious +0.1
Santa Cruz County, AZ 67.4 Serious +0.1
De Soto Parish, LA 67.2 Serious -0.1
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Buckingham 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 Buckingham 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 Buckingham County, Virginia?

    Buckingham County has a County Distress Index score of 67.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 530th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Buckingham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Buckingham County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Buckingham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Buckingham County (67.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Prince Edward County, VA (66.7); Cumberland County, VA (56.7); Appomattox County, VA (45.4).

  • 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). Buckingham County's score of 67.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Buckingham 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 Buckingham County?

    Buckingham County, Virginia has a population of approximately 16,978 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.