Dickenson County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.3 | 13,640 people · 65th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Dickenson County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.2 — 1327th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Virginia, it ranks 65th of 133 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dickenson County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.8 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.8
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 55.6
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 13
Subprime Credit Population 73
Economic Vitality 42.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Legal Distress 41.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Housing Cost Burden 39.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 14
Homeownership Rate 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dickenson County
Dickenson County, VA 54.3 Elevated —
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious +16.3
Buchanan County, VA 61.5 Elevated +7.3
Wise County, VA 59.5 Elevated +5.3
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated -1.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dickenson County
Colfax County, NM 54.3 Elevated +0.0
Baxter County, AR 54.2 Elevated -0.0
Mecosta County, MI 54.3 Elevated +0.0
Bath County, KY 54.3 Elevated +0.0
Glenn County, CA 54.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dickenson 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 Dickenson 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Dickenson County, Virginia?

    Dickenson County has a County Distress Index score of 54.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,327th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dickenson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dickenson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Dickenson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dickenson County (54.3) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Pike County, KY (70.6); Buchanan County, VA (61.5); Wise County, VA (59.5).

  • 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). Dickenson County's score of 54.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Dickenson 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 Dickenson County?

    Dickenson County, Virginia has a population of approximately 13,640 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.