Fairfax city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.7 | 25,144 people · 103rd most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Fairfax city, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.7 — 2270th 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 103rd 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. Fairfax city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 84.0 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 84.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 96
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 91
Homeownership Rate 73
Legal Distress 79.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Economic Vitality 65.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 46
Structural Poverty 16.0
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 3
Disability Rate 1
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 12.5
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 3
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Uninsured Rate 44
Subprime Credit Population 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fairfax city
Fairfax city, VA 38.7 Normal —
Fairfax County, VA 30.0 Healthy -8.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fairfax city
Gooding County, ID 38.7 Normal -0.0
Perry County, IL 38.7 Normal -0.0
Poweshiek County, IA 38.7 Normal -0.0
Sawyer County, WI 38.9 Normal +0.1
Steele County, MN 38.5 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fairfax 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 Fairfax 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 Fairfax city, Virginia?

    Fairfax city has a County Distress Index score of 38.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,270th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 103rd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fairfax city?

    The primary driver of distress in Fairfax city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 84.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Fairfax city compare to neighboring counties?

    Fairfax city (38.7) can be compared to its 1 neighboring county: Fairfax County, VA (30.0).

  • 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 Normal 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). Fairfax city's score of 38.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Fairfax 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 Fairfax city?

    Fairfax city, Virginia has a population of approximately 25,144 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.