Fauquier County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Healthy · 28.9 | 75,165 people · 126th most distressed in Virginia
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Fauquier County, VA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 28.9 — 2811th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Virginia, it ranks 126th of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Fauquier County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 71.1 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 71.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Housing Cost Burden 44.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 29
Legal Distress 37.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 38
Consumer Credit Distress 19.0
Debt in Collections 11
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 18
Structural Poverty 3.7
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 1
Disability Rate 4
Transfer Income Dependency 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fauquier County
Fauquier County, VA 28.9 Healthy —
Prince William County, VA 48.5 Normal +19.6
Culpeper County, VA 48.5 Normal +19.6
Stafford County, VA 43.0 Normal +14.1
Warren County, VA 38.2 Normal +9.4
Clarke County, VA 33.9 Healthy +5.0
Rappahannock County, VA 31.3 Healthy +2.4
Loudoun County, VA 25.1 Healthy -3.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fauquier County
Clinton County, MI 28.9 Healthy 0.0
Warren County, IA 28.7 Healthy -0.2
Boone County, IN 28.6 Healthy -0.3
Scott County, MN 29.2 Healthy +0.3
Butler County, PA 28.5 Healthy -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fauquier 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 Fauquier 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Fauquier County has a County Distress Index score of 28.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,811th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 126th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fauquier County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fauquier County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 71.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Fauquier County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fauquier County (28.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Prince William County, VA (48.5); Culpeper County, VA (48.5); Stafford County, VA (43.0).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Fauquier County's score of 28.9 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Fauquier 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 Fauquier County?

    Fauquier County, Virginia has a population of approximately 75,165 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.