Arlington County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Healthy · 21.9 | 234,162 people · 131st most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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

Arlington County, VA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 21.9 — 3092nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Virginia, it ranks 131st of 133 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Arlington County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 64.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 64.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Employment & Wages 19.9
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Business Formation Rate 13
Debt & Delinquency 11.2
Debt in Collections 3
Medical Debt 15
Student Loan Delinquency 5
Auto Loan Delinquency 24
Credit Card Delinquency 9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 12
Community Vulnerability 10.7
Uninsured Rate 21
Disability Rate 0
Income & Poverty 3.0
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 0
Child Poverty Rate 5

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Arlington County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Arlington County
Arlington County, VA 21.9 Healthy —
District of Columbia, DC 47.6 Normal +25.7
Alexandria city, VA 38.8 Normal +16.9
Montgomery County, MD 34.8 Healthy +12.9
Fairfax County, VA 26.6 Healthy +4.7
Falls Church city, VA 25.9 Healthy +4.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Arlington County
Ozaukee County, WI 21.8 Healthy -0.1
Outagamie County, WI 22.0 Healthy +0.2
Carver County, MN 22.3 Healthy +0.4
Calumet County, WI 22.3 Healthy +0.4
Union County, OH 21.2 Healthy -0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Arlington County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Arlington County.

LATINO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION - BRANCH
Arlington
703-527-3854 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Virginia →

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 Arlington 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 Arlington County, Virginia?

    Arlington County has a County Distress Index score of 21.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,092nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 131st in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Arlington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Arlington County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 64.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Arlington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Arlington County (21.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: District of Columbia, DC (47.6); Alexandria city, VA (38.8); Montgomery County, MD (34.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Arlington County?

    Arlington County, Virginia has a population of approximately 234,162 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.