Prince William County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.5 | 489,640 people · 77th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Prince William County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.5 — 1679th 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 77th of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Prince William County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.5 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 50
Economic Vitality 65.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 11
House Price Change (YoY) 60
Legal Distress 59.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Consumer Credit Distress 39.1
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 49
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 46
Structural Poverty 18.0
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 3
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 1
Transfer Income Dependency 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Prince William County
Prince William County, VA 48.5 Normal —
Charles County, MD 61.4 Elevated +12.9
Manassas Park city, VA 55.0 Elevated +6.5
Manassas city, VA 53.5 Elevated +5.0
Stafford County, VA 43.0 Normal -5.5
Fairfax County, VA 30.0 Healthy -18.5
Fauquier County, VA 28.9 Healthy -19.6
Loudoun County, VA 25.1 Healthy -23.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Prince William County
Santa Barbara County, CA 48.5 Normal +0.0
Douglas County, NE 48.7 Normal +0.2
Worcester County, MA 48.9 Normal +0.4
Sussex County, DE 48.0 Normal -0.4
Essex County, MA 48.0 Normal -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Prince William County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Prince William County.

CENTRO DE APOYO FAMILIAR (CAF)-VA
Woodbridge
703-372-5440
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-Lease/Pre-PurchasePre-Purchase
FIRST HOME ALLIANCE
Woodbridge
703-580-8838 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
WOODBRIDGE
703-792-4713
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Manassas
703-792-6287
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement

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 Prince William 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 Prince William County, Virginia?

    Prince William County has a County Distress Index score of 48.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,679th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 77th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Prince William County?

    The primary driver of distress in Prince William County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Prince William County compare to neighboring counties?

    Prince William County (48.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Charles County, MD (61.4); Manassas Park city, VA (55.0); Manassas city, VA (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 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). Prince William County's score of 48.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Prince William 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 William County?

    Prince William County, Virginia has a population of approximately 489,640 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.