Franklin city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.2 | 8,339 people · 8th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Franklin city, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.2 — 153rd 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 8th of 133 counties. It scores higher than all 2 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin city's primary driver is Legal Distress at 88.3 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 88.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Consumer Credit Distress 79.0
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 75.5
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 64
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Housing Cost Burden 70.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 95
Economic Vitality 66.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 92

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin city
Franklin city, VA 76.2 Serious —
Southampton County, VA 57.4 Elevated -18.8
Isle of Wight County, VA 41.6 Normal -34.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin city
Chicot County, AR 76.1 Serious -0.1
Terrell County, GA 75.6 Serious -0.6
Refugio County, TX 75.5 Serious -0.6
San Augustine County, TX 75.4 Serious -0.7
Nevada County, AR 75.4 Serious -0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin 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 Franklin 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.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Franklin city, Virginia?

    Franklin city has a County Distress Index score of 76.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 153rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin city?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin city is Legal Distress, where the county scores 88.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Franklin city compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin city (76.2) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Southampton County, VA (57.4); Isle of Wight County, VA (41.6).

  • 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). Franklin city's score of 76.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin city?

    Franklin city, Virginia has a population of approximately 8,339 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.