Prince George County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.8 | 42,871 people · 52nd most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Prince George County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.8 — 1218th 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 52nd of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Prince George County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 84.4 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 84.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Economic Vitality 70.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 26
Housing Cost Burden 61.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 53
Consumer Credit Distress 54.0
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Uninsured Rate 7
Subprime Credit Population 75
Structural Poverty 27.1
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 16
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Prince George County
Prince George County, VA 55.8 Elevated —
Petersburg city, VA 88.3 Crisis +32.5
Hopewell city, VA 86.0 Crisis +30.1
Sussex County, VA 71.4 Serious +15.6
Dinwiddie County, VA 60.3 Elevated +4.5
Charles City County, VA 58.6 Elevated +2.8
Chesterfield County, VA 51.3 Elevated -4.5
Surry County, VA 42.6 Normal -13.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Prince George County
McDonald County, MO 55.8 Elevated -0.0
Fentress County, TN 55.8 Elevated +0.0
Montgomery County, KY 55.8 Elevated -0.0
Winston County, AL 55.8 Elevated -0.0
Wakulla County, FL 55.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Prince George 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 George 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 George County, Virginia?

    Prince George County has a County Distress Index score of 55.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,218th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Prince George County?

    The primary driver of distress in Prince George County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 84.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Prince George County compare to neighboring counties?

    Prince George County (55.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Petersburg city, VA (88.3); Hopewell city, VA (86.0); Sussex County, VA (71.4).

  • 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 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). Prince George County's score of 55.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Prince George 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 George County?

    Prince George County, Virginia has a population of approximately 42,871 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.