Richmond County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.5 | 9,184 people · 63rd most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Richmond County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.5 — 1302nd 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 63rd of 133 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Richmond County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 91.6 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 91.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Structural Poverty 63.6
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 63
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 71
Economic Vitality 62.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 48
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Consumer Credit Distress 59.8
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 20
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Uninsured Rate 38
Subprime Credit Population 60
Housing Cost Burden 22.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 69

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Richmond County
Richmond County, VA 54.5 Elevated —
Essex County, VA 69.0 Serious +14.5
Westmoreland County, VA 66.7 Serious +12.1
Lancaster County, VA 45.8 Normal -8.7
Middlesex County, VA 45.7 Normal -8.9
Northumberland County, VA 42.0 Normal -12.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Richmond County
Thurston County, NE 54.5 Elevated -0.0
Runnels County, TX 54.5 Elevated -0.1
Crowley County, CO 54.5 Elevated -0.1
Nowata County, OK 54.7 Elevated +0.1
Fall River County, SD 54.4 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond County, Virginia?

    Richmond County has a County Distress Index score of 54.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,302nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Richmond County?

    The primary driver of distress in Richmond County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 91.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Richmond County compare to neighboring counties?

    Richmond County (54.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Essex County, VA (69.0); Westmoreland County, VA (66.7); Lancaster County, VA (45.8).

  • 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). Richmond County's score of 54.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Richmond 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 Richmond County?

    Richmond County, Virginia has a population of approximately 9,184 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.