Mathews County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.2 | 8,514 people · 114th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Mathews County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.2 — 2467th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Virginia, it ranks 114th 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. Mathews County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 78.5 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 78.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 52
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Legal Distress 60.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Structural Poverty 39.7
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 14
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 33
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 44
Consumer Credit Distress 30.6
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Uninsured Rate 44
Subprime Credit Population 12
Housing Cost Burden 15.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 21
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mathews County
Mathews County, VA 35.2 Normal —
Accomack County, VA 53.0 Elevated +17.9
Northampton County, VA 52.6 Elevated +17.4
Middlesex County, VA 45.7 Normal +10.5
Gloucester County, VA 43.1 Normal +8.0
York County, VA 38.2 Normal +3.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mathews County
Norman County, MN 35.1 Normal -0.0
Kearny County, KS 35.2 Normal +0.0
Hartley County, TX 35.1 Normal -0.1
Chase County, KS 35.3 Normal +0.1
Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK 35.0 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mathews 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 Mathews 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Mathews County, Virginia?

    Mathews County has a County Distress Index score of 35.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,467th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 114th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mathews County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mathews County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 78.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Mathews County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mathews County (35.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Accomack County, VA (53.0); Northampton County, VA (52.6); Middlesex County, VA (45.7).

  • 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 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). Mathews County's score of 35.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Mathews 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 Mathews County?

    Mathews County, Virginia has a population of approximately 8,514 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.