Surry County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.6 | 6,593 people · 92nd most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Surry County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.6 — 2033rd 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 92nd 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. Surry County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 70.5 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 70.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Structural Poverty 52.1
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 65
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Consumer Credit Distress 43.7
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 69
Housing Cost Burden 37.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 34
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 38
Homeownership Rate 18
Economic Vitality 13.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 20
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Surry County
Surry County, VA 42.6 Normal —
Newport News city, VA 75.3 Serious +32.7
Sussex County, VA 71.4 Serious +28.8
Charles City County, VA 58.6 Elevated +16.0
Southampton County, VA 57.4 Elevated +14.8
Prince George County, VA 55.8 Elevated +13.2
Isle of Wight County, VA 41.6 Normal -1.0
James City County, VA 39.9 Normal -2.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Surry County
Sheridan County, MT 42.5 Normal -0.1
Craig County, VA 42.7 Normal +0.1
Wheeler County, OR 42.5 Normal -0.1
Ziebach County, SD 42.8 Normal +0.2
Yoakum County, TX 42.8 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Surry 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 Surry 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 Surry County, Virginia?

    Surry County has a County Distress Index score of 42.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,033rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 92nd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Surry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Surry County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 70.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Surry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Surry County (42.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Newport News city, VA (75.3); Sussex County, VA (71.4); Charles City County, VA (58.6).

  • 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 Normal 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). Surry County's score of 42.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Surry 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 Surry County?

    Surry County, Virginia has a population of approximately 6,593 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.