Patrick County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.6 | 17,509 people · 73rd most distressed in Virginia
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Patrick County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.6 — 1481st 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 73rd 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. Patrick County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.8 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.8
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 58
Disability Rate 87
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Economic Vitality 67.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 76
House Price Change (YoY) 89
Legal Distress 49.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Consumer Credit Distress 48.4
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 25
Subprime Credit Population 23
Housing Cost Burden 37.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Patrick County
Patrick County, VA 51.6 Elevated —
Henry County, VA 64.4 Elevated +12.8
Carroll County, VA 53.6 Elevated +2.0
Surry County, NC 53.5 Elevated +1.9
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal -5.0
Franklin County, VA 37.5 Normal -14.0
Floyd County, VA 29.9 Healthy -21.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Patrick County
Wasco County, OR 51.6 Elevated +0.0
Barton County, MO 51.6 Elevated +0.0
Green County, KY 51.6 Elevated +0.0
Humphreys County, TN 51.6 Elevated +0.1
Arenac County, MI 51.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Patrick 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 Patrick 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 Patrick County, Virginia?

    Patrick County has a County Distress Index score of 51.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,481st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 73rd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Patrick County?

    The primary driver of distress in Patrick County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Patrick County compare to neighboring counties?

    Patrick County (51.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Henry County, VA (64.4); Carroll County, VA (53.6); Surry County, NC (53.5).

  • 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). Patrick County's score of 51.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Patrick 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 Patrick County?

    Patrick County, Virginia has a population of approximately 17,509 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.