Montgomery County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.3 | 98,666 people · 94th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Montgomery County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.2 — 2051st 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 94th of 133 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Montgomery County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.9 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 97
Economic Vitality 58.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 56
Structural Poverty 43.8
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 23
Disability Rate 7
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Legal Distress 31.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Consumer Credit Distress 22.7
Debt in Collections 13
Medical Debt 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 40
Credit Card Delinquency 20
Uninsured Rate 18
Subprime Credit Population 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, VA 42.3 Normal —
Radford city, VA 65.2 Serious +22.9
Pulaski County, VA 55.6 Elevated +13.3
Craig County, VA 42.7 Normal +0.4
Giles County, VA 41.9 Normal -0.3
Roanoke County, VA 34.6 Healthy -7.7
Floyd County, VA 29.9 Healthy -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Butler County, KS 42.3 Normal 0.0
Belknap County, NH 42.2 Normal -0.0
Sumter County, FL 42.2 Normal -0.0
Benton County, WA 42.3 Normal +0.0
Hancock County, ME 42.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Montgomery County.

COMMUNITY HOUSING PARTNERS CORPORATION
Christiansburg
540-260-9039 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
NEW RIVER COMMUNITY ACTION (MONTGOMERY AREA)
Christiansburg
540-381-1561 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFair HousingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Lease/Pre-Purchase

See all counselors in Virginia →

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 Montgomery 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Virginia →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 42.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,051st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 94th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (42.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Radford city, VA (65.2); Pulaski County, VA (55.6); Craig County, VA (42.7).

  • 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). Montgomery County's score of 42.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Montgomery 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Virginia has a population of approximately 98,666 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.