Halifax County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.5 | 33,432 people · 22nd most distressed in Virginia
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Halifax County, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.5 — 578th 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 22nd of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Halifax County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.0 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.0
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Legal Distress 68.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Consumer Credit Distress 68.7
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 20
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 56
Subprime Credit Population 72
Housing Cost Burden 60.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 68
Economic Vitality 37.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 60
House Price Change (YoY) 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Halifax County
Halifax County, VA 66.5 Serious —
Person County, NC 68.5 Serious +2.0
Mecklenburg County, VA 61.9 Elevated -4.6
Charlotte County, VA 61.4 Elevated -5.1
Caswell County, NC 61.3 Elevated -5.2
Granville County, NC 60.9 Elevated -5.6
Pittsylvania County, VA 54.7 Elevated -11.8
Campbell County, VA 43.6 Normal -22.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Halifax County
Jasper County, MS 66.5 Serious +0.1
Geary County, KS 66.4 Serious -0.1
Crenshaw County, AL 66.3 Serious -0.1
Scott County, MS 66.6 Serious +0.1
Alcorn County, MS 66.3 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Halifax County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Halifax County.

SOUTHSIDE OUTREACH GROUP, INC.
South Boston
434-572-9556 Website
Financial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-PurchaseRental Help

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 Halifax 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Halifax County has a County Distress Index score of 66.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 578th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Halifax County?

    The primary driver of distress in Halifax County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Halifax County compare to neighboring counties?

    Halifax County (66.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Person County, NC (68.5); Mecklenburg County, VA (61.9); Charlotte County, VA (61.4).

  • 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). Halifax County's score of 66.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Halifax 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 Halifax County?

    Halifax County, Virginia has a population of approximately 33,432 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.