Scott County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.5 | 21,433 people · 64th most distressed in Virginia
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Scott County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.5 — 1308th 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 64th 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. Scott County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.1 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.1
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 99
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 99
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Economic Vitality 82.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 70
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 97
House Price Change (YoY) 99
Legal Distress 73.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Consumer Credit Distress 49.8
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 59
Housing Cost Burden 26.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Scott County, VA 54.5 Elevated —
Hancock County, TN 72.7 Serious +18.2
Lee County, VA 72.0 Serious +17.5
Wise County, VA 59.5 Elevated +5.1
Sullivan County, TN 58.0 Elevated +3.6
Hawkins County, TN 57.9 Elevated +3.5
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated -1.7
Washington County, VA 45.0 Normal -9.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Scurry County, TX 54.5 Elevated -0.0
Grainger County, TN 54.5 Elevated +0.0
Monroe County, KY 54.5 Elevated -0.0
Sabine County, TX 54.5 Elevated -0.0
La Paz County, AZ 54.5 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scott County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Scott County.

APPALACHIAN COMMUNITY ACTION & DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, INC.(APPCAA)
Gate City
276-452-2441 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Scott 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 Scott County, Virginia?

    Scott County has a County Distress Index score of 54.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,308th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scott County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scott County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Scott County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scott County (54.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Hancock County, TN (72.7); Lee County, VA (72.0); Wise County, VA (59.5).

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

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

    Scott 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 Scott County?

    Scott County, Virginia has a population of approximately 21,433 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.