Fredericksburg city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.2 | 28,928 people · 26th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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

Fredericksburg city, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.2 — 636th 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 26th 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. Fredericksburg city's primary driver is Legal Distress at 85.7 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 85.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Economic Vitality 79.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Housing Cost Burden 79.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 60.5
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 78
Structural Poverty 37.7
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 43
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 58
Disability Rate 4
Transfer Income Dependency 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fredericksburg city
Fredericksburg city, VA 65.2 Serious —
Spotsylvania County, VA 54.6 Elevated -10.6
Stafford County, VA 43.0 Normal -22.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fredericksburg city
Washington County, FL 65.2 Serious -0.0
Radford city, VA 65.2 Serious +0.0
Rockcastle County, KY 65.1 Serious -0.1
Stone County, MS 65.3 Serious +0.1
Haskell County, OK 65.3 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fredericksburg city

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Fredericksburg city.

CENTRAL VIRGINIA HOUSING COALITION
Fredericksburg
540-604-9943 Website
Mortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

See all counselors in Virginia →

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 Fredericksburg 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Fredericksburg city has a County Distress Index score of 65.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 636th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fredericksburg city?

    The primary driver of distress in Fredericksburg city is Legal Distress, where the county scores 85.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Fredericksburg city compare to neighboring counties?

    Fredericksburg city (65.2) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Spotsylvania County, VA (54.6); 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 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). Fredericksburg city's score of 65.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Fredericksburg 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 Fredericksburg city?

    Fredericksburg city, Virginia has a population of approximately 28,928 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.