Radford city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.2 | 16,971 people · 25th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Radford city, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.2 — 634th 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 25th of 133 counties. It scores higher than all 2 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Radford city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.6 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 55
Homeownership Rate 95
Economic Vitality 81.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 72
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 58
Structural Poverty 63.8
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 16
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 56.0
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 31
Subprime Credit Population 73
Legal Distress 30.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Radford city
Radford city, VA 65.2 Serious —
Pulaski County, VA 55.6 Elevated -9.6
Montgomery County, VA 42.3 Normal -22.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Radford city
Fredericksburg city, VA 65.2 Serious -0.0
Washington County, FL 65.2 Serious -0.0
Stone County, MS 65.3 Serious +0.1
Haskell County, OK 65.3 Serious +0.1
Rockcastle County, KY 65.1 Serious -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Radford city as a CSV file.

Find Help in Radford city

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Radford city.

NEW RIVER COMMUNITY ACTION, INC.
Radford
540-633-5133 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Radford city 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 Radford city, Virginia?

    Radford city has a County Distress Index score of 65.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 634th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Radford city?

    The primary driver of distress in Radford city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Radford city compare to neighboring counties?

    Radford city (65.2) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Pulaski County, VA (55.6); Montgomery County, VA (42.3).

  • 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). Radford city's score of 65.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Radford city's CDI score?

    Radford city'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 Radford city?

    Radford city, Virginia has a population of approximately 16,971 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.