Prince Edward County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.7 | 22,049 people · 20th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Prince Edward County, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.7 — 571st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Virginia, it ranks 20th of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Prince Edward County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.4 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Structural Poverty 80.4
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 96
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Economic Vitality 67.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 65
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Housing Cost Burden 61.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 93
Consumer Credit Distress 61.2
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 77

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County, VA 66.7 Serious —
Buckingham County, VA 67.3 Serious +0.6
Nottoway County, VA 63.7 Elevated -3.0
Charlotte County, VA 61.4 Elevated -5.3
Lunenburg County, VA 57.4 Elevated -9.3
Cumberland County, VA 56.7 Elevated -9.9
Amelia County, VA 53.1 Elevated -13.6
Appomattox County, VA 45.4 Normal -21.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Prince Edward County
Westmoreland County, VA 66.7 Serious 0.0
Wilbarger County, TX 66.7 Serious +0.0
Scott County, MS 66.6 Serious -0.0
Calhoun County, SC 66.8 Serious +0.1
Jasper County, MS 66.5 Serious -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Prince Edward County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Prince Edward 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 Prince Edward 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 Prince Edward County, Virginia?

    Prince Edward County has a County Distress Index score of 66.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 571st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Prince Edward County?

    The primary driver of distress in Prince Edward County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Prince Edward County compare to neighboring counties?

    Prince Edward County (66.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Buckingham County, VA (67.3); Nottoway County, VA (63.7); Charlotte County, VA (61.4).

  • 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 Serious 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). Prince Edward County's score of 66.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Prince Edward County's CDI score?

    Prince Edward 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 Prince Edward County?

    Prince Edward County, Virginia has a population of approximately 22,049 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.