Sussex County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.4 | 10,757 people · 16th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Sussex County, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.4 — 337th 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 16th of 133 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sussex County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Structural Poverty 79.5
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Economic Vitality 78.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 6
Consumer Credit Distress 75.5
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 46.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 73

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sussex County
Sussex County, VA 71.4 Serious —
Greensville County, VA 73.6 Serious +2.2
Dinwiddie County, VA 60.3 Elevated -11.1
Southampton County, VA 57.4 Elevated -14.0
Prince George County, VA 55.8 Elevated -15.6
Surry County, VA 42.6 Normal -28.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sussex County
Union County, SC 71.4 Serious +0.0
Ottawa County, OK 71.5 Serious +0.1
Leake County, MS 71.5 Serious +0.1
Choctaw County, OK 71.3 Serious -0.1
Bleckley County, GA 71.6 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sussex 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 Sussex 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Sussex County, Virginia?

    Sussex County has a County Distress Index score of 71.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 337th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sussex County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sussex County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Sussex County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sussex County (71.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Greensville County, VA (73.6); Dinwiddie County, VA (60.3); Southampton County, VA (57.4).

  • 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 Serious 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). Sussex County's score of 71.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Sussex 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 Sussex County?

    Sussex County, Virginia has a population of approximately 10,757 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.