Henry County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.4 | 49,702 people · 27th most distressed in Virginia
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Henry County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.4 — 682nd 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 27th of 133 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Henry County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 76.5 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 76.5
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 69.8
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 64
Legal Distress 65.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Housing Cost Burden 52.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 28
Homeownership Rate 41
Economic Vitality 45.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Henry County
Henry County, VA 64.4 Elevated —
Martinsville city, VA 76.7 Serious +12.3
Rockingham County, NC 60.6 Elevated -3.7
Pittsylvania County, VA 54.7 Elevated -9.7
Patrick County, VA 51.6 Elevated -12.8
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal -17.8
Franklin County, VA 37.5 Normal -26.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Henry County
Walthall County, MS 64.4 Elevated 0.0
Milam County, TX 64.4 Elevated 0.0
Macon County, TN 64.4 Elevated -0.0
Deaf Smith County, TX 64.4 Elevated -0.0
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Henry 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 Henry 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Henry County has a County Distress Index score of 64.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 682nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Henry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Henry County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 76.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Henry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Henry County (64.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Martinsville city, VA (76.7); Rockingham County, NC (60.6); Pittsylvania County, VA (54.7).

  • 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). Henry County's score of 64.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Henry 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 Henry County?

    Henry County, Virginia has a population of approximately 49,702 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.