Russell County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.8 | 25,477 people · 71st most distressed in Virginia
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Russell County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.8 — 1418th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Virginia, it ranks 71st of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Russell County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 86.1 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 86.1
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 92
Child Poverty Rate 68
Disability Rate 99
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 81.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Consumer Credit Distress 50.0
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 14
Subprime Credit Population 68
Economic Vitality 44.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 92
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Housing Cost Burden 32.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 23
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 43

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Russell County
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated —
Buchanan County, VA 61.5 Elevated +8.8
Tazewell County, VA 61.2 Elevated +8.4
Smyth County, VA 60.1 Elevated +7.3
Wise County, VA 59.5 Elevated +6.8
Scott County, VA 54.5 Elevated +1.7
Dickenson County, VA 54.3 Elevated +1.5
Washington County, VA 45.0 Normal -7.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Russell County
Douglas County, MO 52.8 Elevated +0.0
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated -0.1
Marshall County, WV 52.8 Elevated +0.1
Cannon County, TN 52.7 Elevated -0.1
Morgan County, GA 52.6 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Russell 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 Russell 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 Russell County, Virginia?

    Russell County has a County Distress Index score of 52.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,418th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 71st in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Russell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Russell County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 86.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Russell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Russell County (52.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Buchanan County, VA (61.5); Tazewell County, VA (61.2); Smyth County, VA (60.1).

  • 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). Russell County's score of 52.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Russell 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 Russell County?

    Russell County, Virginia has a population of approximately 25,477 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.