Caroline County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.2 | 32,640 people · 57th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Caroline County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.2 — 1259th 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 57th of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Caroline County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.2 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 60.8
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 20
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 36
Subprime Credit Population 70
Economic Vitality 52.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 24
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Housing Cost Burden 51.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 12
Structural Poverty 22.4
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 15
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 19
Disability Rate 27
Transfer Income Dependency 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Caroline County
Caroline County, VA 55.2 Elevated —
Essex County, VA 69.0 Serious +13.9
King and Queen County, VA 55.2 Elevated +0.0
Spotsylvania County, VA 54.6 Elevated -0.6
King William County, VA 49.3 Normal -5.9
Stafford County, VA 43.0 Normal -12.2
King George County, VA 42.4 Normal -12.8
Hanover County, VA 32.8 Healthy -22.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Caroline County
Monroe County, GA 55.2 Elevated -0.0
Gilchrist County, FL 55.1 Elevated -0.0
Benton County, TN 55.1 Elevated -0.1
Shelby County, IN 55.1 Elevated -0.1
White County, GA 55.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Caroline 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 Caroline 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 Caroline County, Virginia?

    Caroline County has a County Distress Index score of 55.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,259th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Caroline County?

    The primary driver of distress in Caroline County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Caroline County compare to neighboring counties?

    Caroline County (55.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Essex County, VA (69.0); King and Queen County, VA (55.2); Spotsylvania County, VA (54.6).

  • 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). Caroline County's score of 55.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Caroline 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 Caroline County?

    Caroline County, Virginia has a population of approximately 32,640 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.