Southampton County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.4 | 17,975 people · 47th most distressed in Virginia
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Southampton County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.4 — 1128th 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 47th of 133 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Southampton County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 69.3 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 69.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Housing Cost Burden 61.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 48
Consumer Credit Distress 58.1
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 69
Structural Poverty 52.4
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Economic Vitality 41.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Southampton County
Southampton County, VA 57.4 Elevated —
Hertford County, NC 82.9 Crisis +25.5
Franklin city, VA 76.2 Serious +18.8
Northampton County, NC 75.4 Serious +18.0
Greensville County, VA 73.6 Serious +16.2
Sussex County, VA 71.4 Serious +14.0
Suffolk city, VA 63.4 Elevated +6.0
Gates County, NC 58.3 Elevated +0.9
Surry County, VA 42.6 Normal -14.8
Isle of Wight County, VA 41.6 Normal -15.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Southampton County
Audrain County, MO 57.4 Elevated 0.0
Letcher County, KY 57.4 Elevated +0.0
Clark County, KY 57.4 Elevated -0.0
Lunenburg County, VA 57.4 Elevated -0.0
Bollinger County, MO 57.4 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Southampton 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 Southampton 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 Southampton County, Virginia?

    Southampton County has a County Distress Index score of 57.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,128th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Southampton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Southampton County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 69.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Southampton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Southampton County (57.4) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Hertford County, NC (82.9); Franklin city, VA (76.2); Northampton County, NC (75.4).

  • 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). Southampton County's score of 57.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Southampton 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 Southampton County?

    Southampton County, Virginia has a population of approximately 17,975 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.