Charles City County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.6 | 6,610 people · 44th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Charles City County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.6 — 1039th 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 44th 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. Charles City County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.5 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Economic Vitality 72.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 7
Consumer Credit Distress 58.9
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 59
Housing Cost Burden 50.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 38
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 5
Structural Poverty 42.0
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 48
Disability Rate 77
Transfer Income Dependency 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Charles City County
Charles City County, VA 58.6 Elevated —
Prince George County, VA 55.8 Elevated -2.8
Henrico County, VA 55.5 Elevated -3.1
Chesterfield County, VA 51.3 Elevated -7.3
Surry County, VA 42.6 Normal -16.0
James City County, VA 39.9 Normal -18.8
New Kent County, VA 36.5 Normal -22.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Charles City County
Bracken County, KY 58.8 Elevated +0.2
Briscoe County, TX 58.4 Elevated -0.2
Carroll County, MS 58.4 Elevated -0.3
Storey County, NV 58.2 Elevated -0.4
Dewey County, SD 58.2 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Charles City County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Charles City 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 Charles City 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 Charles City County, Virginia?

    Charles City County has a County Distress Index score of 58.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,039th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Charles City County?

    The primary driver of distress in Charles City County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Charles City County compare to neighboring counties?

    Charles City County (58.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Prince George County, VA (55.8); Henrico County, VA (55.5); Chesterfield County, VA (51.3).

  • 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). Charles City County's score of 58.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Charles City County's CDI score?

    Charles City 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 Charles City County?

    Charles City County, Virginia has a population of approximately 6,610 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.