Grayson County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.6 | 15,285 people · 62nd most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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

Grayson County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.6 — 1300th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Virginia, it ranks 62nd of 133 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Grayson County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 77.6 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 77.6
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Economic Vitality 71.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 24
Consumer Credit Distress 50.8
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 34
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 40
Housing Cost Burden 48.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 9
Homeownership Rate 11
Legal Distress 35.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Grayson County
Grayson County, VA 54.6 Elevated —
Smyth County, VA 60.1 Elevated +5.5
Wythe County, VA 59.8 Elevated +5.2
Galax city, VA 59.6 Elevated +5.0
Johnson County, TN 56.8 Elevated +2.2
Carroll County, VA 53.6 Elevated -1.0
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated -1.1
Alleghany County, NC 48.6 Normal -6.0
Washington County, VA 45.0 Normal -9.6
Ashe County, NC 37.2 Normal -17.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Grayson County
Murray County, OK 54.6 Elevated +0.0
Lafayette County, MO 54.5 Elevated -0.0
Greenbrier County, WV 54.6 Elevated +0.0
Grainger County, TN 54.5 Elevated -0.1
Scott County, VA 54.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Grayson 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 Grayson 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 Grayson County, Virginia?

    Grayson County has a County Distress Index score of 54.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,300th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grayson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grayson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 77.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Grayson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grayson County (54.6) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Smyth County, VA (60.1); Wythe County, VA (59.8); Galax city, VA (59.6).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Grayson County's score of 54.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Grayson 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 Grayson County?

    Grayson County, Virginia has a population of approximately 15,285 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.