Lunenburg County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.4 | 12,038 people · 48th most distressed in Virginia
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Lunenburg County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.4 — 1130th 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 48th of 133 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lunenburg County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 82.2 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 82.2
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Legal Distress 74.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Consumer Credit Distress 62.0
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 72
Economic Vitality 45.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 75
Housing Cost Burden 31.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 11
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 63

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lunenburg County
Lunenburg County, VA 57.4 Elevated —
Prince Edward County, VA 66.7 Serious +9.3
Nottoway County, VA 63.7 Elevated +6.3
Brunswick County, VA 63.7 Elevated +6.3
Mecklenburg County, VA 61.9 Elevated +4.5
Charlotte County, VA 61.4 Elevated +4.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lunenburg County
Clark County, KY 57.4 Elevated 0.0
Bollinger County, MO 57.4 Elevated -0.0
Audrain County, MO 57.4 Elevated +0.0
Southampton County, VA 57.4 Elevated +0.0
Muhlenberg County, KY 57.4 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lunenburg 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 Lunenburg 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 Lunenburg County, Virginia?

    Lunenburg County has a County Distress Index score of 57.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,130th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lunenburg County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lunenburg County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 82.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lunenburg County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lunenburg County (57.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Prince Edward County, VA (66.7); Nottoway County, VA (63.7); Brunswick County, VA (63.7).

  • 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). Lunenburg County's score of 57.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lunenburg 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 Lunenburg County?

    Lunenburg County, Virginia has a population of approximately 12,038 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.