Isle of Wight County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.6 | 40,711 people · 97th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Isle of Wight County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.6 — 2089th 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 97th of 133 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Isle of Wight County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.1 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Economic Vitality 70.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 37
House Price Change (YoY) 34
Housing Cost Burden 52.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 36
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 13
Consumer Credit Distress 31.1
Debt in Collections 37
Medical Debt 22
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 10
Subprime Credit Population 47
Structural Poverty 18.8
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 10
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Isle of Wight County
Isle of Wight County, VA 41.6 Normal —
Franklin city, VA 76.2 Serious +34.6
Newport News city, VA 75.3 Serious +33.7
Suffolk city, VA 63.4 Elevated +21.9
Southampton County, VA 57.4 Elevated +15.8
Surry County, VA 42.6 Normal +1.0
James City County, VA 39.9 Normal -1.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Isle of Wight County
Webster County, IA 41.6 Normal +0.0
Mower County, MN 41.5 Normal -0.0
White County, IL 41.5 Normal -0.0
Talbot County, MD 41.5 Normal -0.1
Amador County, CA 41.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Isle of Wight County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Isle of Wight 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 Isle of Wight 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 Isle of Wight County, Virginia?

    Isle of Wight County has a County Distress Index score of 41.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,089th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 97th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Isle of Wight County?

    The primary driver of distress in Isle of Wight County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Isle of Wight County compare to neighboring counties?

    Isle of Wight County (41.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Franklin city, VA (76.2); Newport News city, VA (75.3); Suffolk city, VA (63.4).

  • 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 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). Isle of Wight County's score of 41.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Isle of Wight County's CDI score?

    Isle of Wight 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 Isle of Wight County?

    Isle of Wight County, Virginia has a population of approximately 40,711 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.