Mecklenburg County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.9 | 30,648 people · 33rd most distressed in Virginia
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Mecklenburg County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.9 — 830th 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 33rd of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mecklenburg County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 74.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 74.7
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Legal Distress 65.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Consumer Credit Distress 62.6
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 65
Housing Cost Burden 61.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 63
Economic Vitality 39.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 65

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County, VA 61.9 Elevated —
Vance County, NC 82.3 Crisis +20.3
Warren County, NC 72.4 Serious +10.5
Halifax County, VA 66.5 Serious +4.6
Brunswick County, VA 63.7 Elevated +1.7
Charlotte County, VA 61.4 Elevated -0.5
Granville County, NC 60.9 Elevated -1.0
Lunenburg County, VA 57.4 Elevated -4.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mecklenburg County
Fayette County, AL 61.9 Elevated -0.0
Perry County, MS 62.0 Elevated +0.1
Hot Spring County, AR 62.0 Elevated +0.1
Jackson County, TX 62.0 Elevated +0.1
Ward County, TX 62.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg County, Virginia?

    Mecklenburg County has a County Distress Index score of 61.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 830th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mecklenburg County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mecklenburg County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 74.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Mecklenburg County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mecklenburg County (61.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Vance County, NC (82.3); Warren County, NC (72.4); Halifax County, VA (66.5).

  • 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). Mecklenburg County's score of 61.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg County?

    Mecklenburg County, Virginia has a population of approximately 30,648 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.