James City County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.9 | 82,654 people · 101st most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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James City County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.9 — 2199th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Virginia, it ranks 101st of 133 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. James City County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.6 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 25
Economic Vitality 62.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 50
Legal Distress 44.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 44
Structural Poverty 24.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 36
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 20.2
Debt in Collections 15
Medical Debt 14
Auto Loan Delinquency 40
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Uninsured Rate 10
Subprime Credit Population 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. James City County
James City County, VA 39.9 Normal —
Newport News city, VA 75.3 Serious +35.4
Charles City County, VA 58.6 Elevated +18.8
Williamsburg city, VA 58.0 Elevated +18.2
King and Queen County, VA 55.2 Elevated +15.3
Gloucester County, VA 43.1 Normal +3.3
Surry County, VA 42.6 Normal +2.7
Isle of Wight County, VA 41.6 Normal +1.7
York County, VA 38.2 Normal -1.7
New Kent County, VA 36.5 Normal -3.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. James City County
Madison County, ID 39.8 Normal -0.1
Augusta County, VA 39.8 Normal -0.1
Skagit County, WA 40.0 Normal +0.2
Bradford County, PA 39.6 Normal -0.3
LaSalle County, IL 39.5 Normal -0.4

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for James City County as a CSV file.

Find Help in James City County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near James City County.

JAMES CITY COUNTY OFFICE OF HOUSING
Williamsburg
757-259-5340 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 James City 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 James City County, Virginia?

    James City County has a County Distress Index score of 39.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,199th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 101st in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in James City County?

    The primary driver of distress in James City County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does James City County compare to neighboring counties?

    James City County (39.9) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Newport News city, VA (75.3); Charles City County, VA (58.6); Williamsburg city, VA (58.0).

  • 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 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). James City County's score of 39.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power James City County's CDI score?

    James City 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 James City County?

    James City County, Virginia has a population of approximately 82,654 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.