Nelson County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.8 | 14,705 people · 110th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Nelson County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.8 — 2374th 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 110th of 133 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Nelson County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 75.2 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 75.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 26
House Price Change (YoY) 18
Legal Distress 64.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 64
Structural Poverty 39.7
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 29
Transfer Income Dependency 56
Consumer Credit Distress 28.3
Debt in Collections 24
Medical Debt 14
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Uninsured Rate 46
Subprime Credit Population 26
Housing Cost Burden 28.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 28
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 36
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Nelson County
Nelson County, VA 36.8 Normal —
Buckingham County, VA 67.3 Serious +30.5
Amherst County, VA 58.5 Elevated +21.7
Appomattox County, VA 45.4 Normal +8.5
Augusta County, VA 39.8 Normal +2.9
Albemarle County, VA 34.4 Healthy -2.4
Rockbridge County, VA 32.5 Healthy -4.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Nelson County
Fluvanna County, VA 36.8 Normal -0.0
Jersey County, IL 36.9 Normal +0.1
Warren County, PA 36.9 Normal +0.1
Morgan County, WV 36.7 Normal -0.1
Lavaca County, TX 36.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Nelson 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 Nelson 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 Nelson County, Virginia?

    Nelson County has a County Distress Index score of 36.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,374th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 110th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Nelson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Nelson County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 75.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Nelson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Nelson County (36.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Buckingham County, VA (67.3); Amherst County, VA (58.5); Appomattox County, VA (45.4).

  • 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). Nelson County's score of 36.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Nelson 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 Nelson County?

    Nelson County, Virginia has a population of approximately 14,705 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.