Covington city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.4 | 5,545 people · 32nd most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Covington city, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.4 — 807th 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 32nd 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. Covington city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.6 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 65
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 65
Structural Poverty 67.9
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 77
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 25
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 61.0
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 41
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 34
Subprime Credit Population 69
Legal Distress 57.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Economic Vitality 31.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Covington city
Covington city, VA 62.4 Elevated —
Alleghany County, VA 47.9 Normal -14.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Covington city
Hudspeth County, TX 62.4 Elevated +0.0
Johnson County, GA 62.4 Elevated -0.0
Mitchell County, TX 62.3 Elevated -0.1
Greer County, OK 62.5 Elevated +0.1
Lafayette County, FL 62.6 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Covington 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 Covington 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 Covington city, Virginia?

    Covington city has a County Distress Index score of 62.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 807th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Covington city?

    The primary driver of distress in Covington city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Covington city compare to neighboring counties?

    Covington city (62.4) can be compared to its 1 neighboring county: Alleghany County, VA (47.9).

  • 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). Covington city's score of 62.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Covington 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 Covington city?

    Covington city, Virginia has a population of approximately 5,545 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.