Smyth County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.1 | 29,216 people · 40th most distressed in Virginia
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Smyth County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.1 — 946th 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 40th of 133 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Smyth County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 78.1 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 78.1
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Legal Distress 72.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Consumer Credit Distress 62.8
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 21
Subprime Credit Population 73
Housing Cost Burden 45.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 48
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 25
Homeownership Rate 67
Economic Vitality 44.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Smyth County
Smyth County, VA 60.1 Elevated —
Tazewell County, VA 61.2 Elevated +1.1
Wythe County, VA 59.8 Elevated -0.3
Grayson County, VA 54.6 Elevated -5.5
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated -7.3
Washington County, VA 45.0 Normal -15.1
Bland County, VA 36.2 Normal -23.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Smyth County
Union County, MS 60.1 Elevated -0.0
Meigs County, TN 60.1 Elevated +0.0
Clare County, MI 60.0 Elevated -0.1
Weakley County, TN 60.0 Elevated -0.1
LaSalle Parish, LA 59.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Smyth 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 Smyth 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 Smyth County, Virginia?

    Smyth County has a County Distress Index score of 60.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 946th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Smyth County?

    The primary driver of distress in Smyth County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 78.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Smyth County compare to neighboring counties?

    Smyth County (60.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Tazewell County, VA (61.2); Wythe County, VA (59.8); Grayson County, VA (54.6).

  • 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). Smyth County's score of 60.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Smyth 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 Smyth County?

    Smyth County, Virginia has a population of approximately 29,216 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.