Essex County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.0 | 10,598 people · 17th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Essex County, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.0 — 436th 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 17th of 133 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Essex County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Housing Cost Burden 75.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 74
Consumer Credit Distress 65.3
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 73
Economic Vitality 65.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Structural Poverty 60.6
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 59
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 51
Transfer Income Dependency 76

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Essex County
Essex County, VA 69.0 Serious —
Westmoreland County, VA 66.7 Serious -2.4
King and Queen County, VA 55.2 Elevated -13.8
Caroline County, VA 55.2 Elevated -13.9
Richmond County, VA 54.5 Elevated -14.5
Lancaster County, VA 45.8 Normal -23.2
Middlesex County, VA 45.7 Normal -23.4
King George County, VA 42.4 Normal -26.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Essex County
Washington County, MO 69.1 Serious +0.0
Madison County, TX 69.0 Serious -0.0
Jackson County, OH 69.0 Serious -0.1
Karnes County, TX 69.2 Serious +0.1
Nolan County, TX 68.9 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Essex 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 Essex 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Virginia →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Essex County has a County Distress Index score of 69.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 436th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Essex County?

    The primary driver of distress in Essex County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Essex County compare to neighboring counties?

    Essex County (69.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Westmoreland County, VA (66.7); King and Queen County, VA (55.2); Caroline County, VA (55.2).

  • 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). Essex County's score of 69.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Essex 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 Essex County?

    Essex County, Virginia has a population of approximately 10,598 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.