Virginia Beach city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.5 | 453,649 people · 54th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Virginia Beach city, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.5 — 1234th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Virginia, it ranks 54th of 133 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Virginia Beach city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.8 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 85
Legal Distress 80.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Economic Vitality 64.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 31
Consumer Credit Distress 46.7
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 22
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Uninsured Rate 35
Subprime Credit Population 55
Structural Poverty 13.9
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 15
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Virginia Beach city
Virginia Beach city, VA 55.5 Elevated —
Norfolk city, VA 77.3 Serious +21.7
Hampton city, VA 77.1 Serious +21.5
Chesapeake city, VA 56.5 Elevated +0.9
Northampton County, VA 52.6 Elevated -3.0
Currituck County, NC 32.5 Healthy -23.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Virginia Beach city
Charleston County, SC 55.5 Elevated -0.0
Knox County, TN 55.5 Elevated -0.0
Henrico County, VA 55.5 Elevated -0.0
Mercer County, NJ 55.4 Elevated -0.2
Fayette County, KY 55.8 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Virginia Beach city as a CSV file.

Find Help in Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach city, Virginia?

    Virginia Beach city has a County Distress Index score of 55.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,234th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Virginia Beach city?

    The primary driver of distress in Virginia Beach city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Virginia Beach city compare to neighboring counties?

    Virginia Beach city (55.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Norfolk city, VA (77.3); Hampton city, VA (77.1); Chesapeake city, VA (56.5).

  • 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). Virginia Beach city's score of 55.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Virginia Beach city's CDI score?

    Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach city?

    Virginia Beach city, Virginia has a population of approximately 453,649 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.