Winchester city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.4 | 27,617 people · 37th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Winchester city, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.4 — 859th 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 37th 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. Winchester city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 81.5 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 81.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 99
Economic Vitality 69.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 23
House Price Change (YoY) 23
Consumer Credit Distress 55.4
Debt in Collections 40
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 60
Structural Poverty 52.0
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 56
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 31
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Legal Distress 46.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Winchester city
Winchester city, VA 61.4 Elevated —
Frederick County, VA 37.4 Normal -24.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Winchester city
Pawnee County, OK 61.4 Elevated +0.0
Union Parish, LA 61.4 Elevated +0.0
Reeves County, TX 61.4 Elevated +0.0
Charlotte County, VA 61.4 Elevated +0.0
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Winchester 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 Winchester 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 Winchester city, Virginia?

    Winchester city has a County Distress Index score of 61.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 859th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Winchester city?

    The primary driver of distress in Winchester city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 81.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Winchester city compare to neighboring counties?

    Winchester city (61.4) can be compared to its 1 neighboring county: Frederick County, VA (37.4).

  • 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). Winchester city's score of 61.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Winchester 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 Winchester city?

    Winchester city, Virginia has a population of approximately 27,617 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.