Charlottesville city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.4 | 44,983 people · 79th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Charlottesville city, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.4 — 1691st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Virginia, it ranks 79th of 133 counties. It scores higher than all 1 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Charlottesville city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 95.1 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 95.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 99
Economic Vitality 74.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 15
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Legal Distress 39.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Structural Poverty 38.9
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 3
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 25.6
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Uninsured Rate 27
Subprime Credit Population 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Charlottesville city
Charlottesville city, VA 48.4 Normal —
Albemarle County, VA 34.4 Healthy -14.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Charlottesville city
Woodward County, OK 48.3 Normal -0.0
Burleson County, TX 48.4 Normal +0.0
Roane County, WV 48.3 Normal -0.0
Asotin County, WA 48.4 Normal +0.0
Grant County, WV 48.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Charlottesville city

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Charlottesville city.

GREATER CHARLOTTESVILLE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Charlottesville
043-429-3906 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Virginia →

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 Charlottesville 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Virginia →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Charlottesville city, Virginia?

    Charlottesville city has a County Distress Index score of 48.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,691st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 79th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Charlottesville city?

    The primary driver of distress in Charlottesville city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 95.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Charlottesville city compare to neighboring counties?

    Charlottesville city (48.4) can be compared to its 1 neighboring county: Albemarle County, VA (34.4).

  • 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 Normal 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). Charlottesville city's score of 48.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville city?

    Charlottesville city, Virginia has a population of approximately 44,983 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.