Chesapeake city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.5 | 253,886 people · 51st most distressed in Virginia
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Chesapeake city, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.5 — 1177th 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 51st 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. Chesapeake city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 88.8 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 88.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 53
Legal Distress 85.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Economic Vitality 67.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 53
Consumer Credit Distress 45.4
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 20
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 36
Subprime Credit Population 58
Structural Poverty 19.3
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chesapeake city
Chesapeake city, VA 56.5 Elevated —
Portsmouth city, VA 81.9 Crisis +25.4
Norfolk city, VA 77.3 Serious +20.8
Suffolk city, VA 63.4 Elevated +7.0
Virginia Beach city, VA 55.5 Elevated -0.9
Currituck County, NC 32.5 Healthy -24.0
Camden County, NC 30.8 Healthy -25.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chesapeake city
York County, SC 56.5 Elevated 0.0
Montgomery County, TX 56.3 Elevated -0.2
Ingham County, MI 56.9 Elevated +0.4
Summit County, OH 56.9 Elevated +0.4
Lexington County, SC 55.9 Elevated -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chesapeake city

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 Chesapeake 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Chesapeake city has a County Distress Index score of 56.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,177th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chesapeake city?

    The primary driver of distress in Chesapeake city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 88.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Chesapeake city compare to neighboring counties?

    Chesapeake city (56.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Portsmouth city, VA (81.9); Norfolk city, VA (77.3); Suffolk city, VA (63.4).

  • 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 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). Chesapeake city's score of 56.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake city?

    Chesapeake city, Virginia has a population of approximately 253,886 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.