Frederick County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.4 | 95,994 people · 109th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Frederick County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.4 — 2346th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Virginia, it ranks 109th of 133 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Frederick County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 61.9 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 61.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Legal Distress 61.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Housing Cost Burden 47.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 74
Homeownership Rate 29
Consumer Credit Distress 29.2
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 22
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 36
Uninsured Rate 43
Subprime Credit Population 32
Structural Poverty 19.3
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Frederick County
Frederick County, VA 37.4 Normal —
Winchester city, VA 61.4 Elevated +24.0
Berkeley County, WV 57.9 Elevated +20.5
Hardy County, WV 49.5 Normal +12.1
Hampshire County, WV 42.9 Normal +5.5
Shenandoah County, VA 40.6 Normal +3.2
Warren County, VA 38.2 Normal +0.8
Jefferson County, WV 36.8 Normal -0.6
Morgan County, WV 36.7 Normal -0.7
Clarke County, VA 33.9 Healthy -3.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Frederick County
Adams County, PA 37.5 Normal +0.1
Buffalo County, NE 37.3 Normal -0.1
Kauai County, HI 37.5 Normal +0.1
Sauk County, WI 37.3 Normal -0.1
Franklin County, VA 37.5 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Frederick 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 Frederick 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Frederick County has a County Distress Index score of 37.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,346th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 109th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Frederick County?

    The primary driver of distress in Frederick County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 61.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Frederick County compare to neighboring counties?

    Frederick County (37.4) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Winchester city, VA (61.4); Berkeley County, WV (57.9); Hardy County, WV (49.5).

  • 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). Frederick County's score of 37.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Frederick 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 Frederick County?

    Frederick County, Virginia has a population of approximately 95,994 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.