Staunton city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.0 | 25,915 people · 59th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Staunton city, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.0 — 1273rd 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 59th of 133 counties. It scores higher than all 1 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Staunton city's primary driver is Legal Distress at 78.6 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 78.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Economic Vitality 71.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 13
Housing Cost Burden 68.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 93
Structural Poverty 47.4
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 43
Disability Rate 46
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Consumer Credit Distress 43.8
Debt in Collections 36
Medical Debt 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Staunton city
Staunton city, VA 55.0 Elevated —
Augusta County, VA 39.8 Normal -15.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Staunton city
Larue County, KY 55.0 Elevated 0.0
Ohio County, WV 54.9 Elevated -0.0
Hardin County, OH 54.9 Elevated -0.0
Ogemaw County, MI 54.9 Elevated -0.1
Manassas Park city, VA 55.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Staunton city as a CSV file.

Find Help in Staunton city

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 Staunton city 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 Staunton city, Virginia?

    Staunton city has a County Distress Index score of 55.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,273rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 59th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Staunton city?

    The primary driver of distress in Staunton city is Legal Distress, where the county scores 78.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Staunton city compare to neighboring counties?

    Staunton city (55.0) can be compared to its 1 neighboring county: Augusta County, VA (39.8).

  • 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). Staunton city's score of 55.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Staunton city's CDI score?

    Staunton city'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 Staunton city?

    Staunton city, Virginia has a population of approximately 25,915 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.