Lee County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.0 | 21,745 people · 15th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Lee County, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.0 — 318th 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 15th of 133 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lee County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 93.3 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 93.3
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 99
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 99
Transfer Income Dependency 99
Consumer Credit Distress 73.2
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 96
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 70
Housing Cost Burden 71.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 53
Economic Vitality 61.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 44
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 89
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Legal Distress 39.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, VA 72.0 Serious —
Bell County, KY 79.9 Serious +8.0
Hancock County, TN 72.7 Serious +0.7
Harlan County, KY 70.7 Serious -1.2
Claiborne County, TN 64.5 Elevated -7.4
Wise County, VA 59.5 Elevated -12.4
Scott County, VA 54.5 Elevated -17.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Marengo County, AL 72.0 Serious +0.0
McIntosh County, OK 71.9 Serious -0.0
Colonial Heights city, VA 72.0 Serious +0.0
Colquitt County, GA 71.9 Serious -0.1
Cibola County, NM 72.1 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lee 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 Lee 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 Lee County, Virginia?

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 72.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 318th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 15th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 93.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (72.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bell County, KY (79.9); Hancock County, TN (72.7); Harlan County, KY (70.7).

  • 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 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). Lee County's score of 72.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lee 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 Lee County?

    Lee County, Virginia has a population of approximately 21,745 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.