Chesterfield County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.3 | 383,876 people · 74th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Chesterfield County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.3 — 1496th 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 74th of 133 counties. Among its 11 neighboring counties, 9 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Chesterfield County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 91.9 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 91.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Housing Cost Burden 75.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 34
Economic Vitality 57.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Consumer Credit Distress 43.8
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 53
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 52
Structural Poverty 11.5
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 19
Transfer Income Dependency 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County, VA 51.3 Elevated —
Petersburg city, VA 88.3 Crisis +37.0
Hopewell city, VA 86.0 Crisis +34.6
Richmond city, VA 72.5 Serious +21.1
Colonial Heights city, VA 72.0 Serious +20.6
Dinwiddie County, VA 60.3 Elevated +9.0
Charles City County, VA 58.6 Elevated +7.3
Prince George County, VA 55.8 Elevated +4.5
Henrico County, VA 55.5 Elevated +4.2
Amelia County, VA 53.1 Elevated +1.8
Powhatan County, VA 28.6 Healthy -22.7
Goochland County, VA 17.9 Healthy -33.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chesterfield County
Pierce County, WA 51.2 Elevated -0.1
El Paso County, CO 51.0 Elevated -0.4
Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT 52.0 Elevated +0.6
Buncombe County, NC 52.0 Elevated +0.6
Suffolk County, MA 50.5 Elevated -0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield County, Virginia?

    Chesterfield County has a County Distress Index score of 51.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,496th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 74th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chesterfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chesterfield County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 91.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Chesterfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chesterfield County (51.3) can be compared to its 11 neighboring counties: Petersburg city, VA (88.3); Hopewell city, VA (86.0); Richmond city, VA (72.5).

  • 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). Chesterfield County's score of 51.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield County?

    Chesterfield County, Virginia has a population of approximately 383,876 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.