Emporia city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.8 | 5,463 people · 11th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Emporia city, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.8 — 234th 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 11th 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. Emporia city's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.8 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Structural Poverty 84.7
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 75.8
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 7
Subprime Credit Population 92
Economic Vitality 63.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Housing Cost Burden 60.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Emporia city
Emporia city, VA 73.8 Serious —
Greensville County, VA 73.6 Serious -0.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Emporia city
Jim Hogg County, TX 73.6 Serious -0.2
Miller County, GA 73.4 Serious -0.4
Caldwell Parish, LA 73.3 Serious -0.5
Atkinson County, GA 74.4 Serious +0.6
Talbot County, GA 74.4 Serious +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Emporia 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 Emporia 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 Emporia city, Virginia?

    Emporia city has a County Distress Index score of 73.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 234th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Emporia city?

    The primary driver of distress in Emporia city is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Emporia city compare to neighboring counties?

    Emporia city (73.8) can be compared to its 1 neighboring county: Greensville County, VA (73.6).

  • 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 Serious 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). Emporia city's score of 73.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Emporia 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 Emporia city?

    Emporia city, Virginia has a population of approximately 5,463 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.