Manassas city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.5 | 42,696 people · 67th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Manassas city, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.5 — 1373rd 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 67th of 133 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 2 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Manassas city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.5 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 61
Economic Vitality 69.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 30
Consumer Credit Distress 48.3
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 17
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 96
Subprime Credit Population 55
Legal Distress 32.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Structural Poverty 27.7
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 26
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 1
Transfer Income Dependency 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Manassas city
Manassas city, VA 53.5 Elevated —
Manassas Park city, VA 55.0 Elevated +1.6
Prince William County, VA 48.5 Normal -5.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Manassas city
Smith County, MS 53.5 Elevated +0.0
Jackson County, NC 53.4 Elevated -0.0
Sullivan County, IN 53.4 Elevated -0.1
Giles County, TN 53.4 Elevated -0.1
Montezuma County, CO 53.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Manassas city as a CSV file.

Find Help in Manassas city

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 Manassas city 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 Manassas city, Virginia?

    Manassas city has a County Distress Index score of 53.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,373rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Manassas city?

    The primary driver of distress in Manassas city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Manassas city compare to neighboring counties?

    Manassas city (53.5) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Manassas Park city, VA (55.0); Prince William County, VA (48.5).

  • 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). Manassas city's score of 53.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Manassas city's CDI score?

    Manassas city'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 Manassas city?

    Manassas city, Virginia has a population of approximately 42,696 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.