In Charles City County, Virginia, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in four dollars of the typical household's income
In Charles City County, 25.9% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is higher than in 86% of U.S. counties.
More distressed than 68% of U.S. counties.
What drives Charles City County's score
In Charles City County, collections and bankruptcy weighs most: the score for collections and bankruptcy is 80.9. Bankruptcy filings ran at 363.1 per 100,000 people (2025), higher than in 94% of U.S. counties. Housing costs come next, at 74.8.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Charles City County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Charles City County does better than most counties on two measures: people without health insurance (4.5%, 2020 to 2024) and median household income ($76,595, 2024).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 80.9 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector27.8% · August 202567th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people363.1 · 202594th percentile
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- 74.8 of 100
Housing costs
Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent20.2% · 2020 to 202462nd percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income25.9% · fiscal year 202786th percentile
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- 66.7 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind5.3% · August 202547th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind10.7% · August 202594th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score42.7% · second quarter of 202658th percentile
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- 43.3 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year3.8% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202642nd percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working19.7% · 2020 to 202444th percentile
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- 37.8 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line11.4% · 202434th percentile
- Children below the poverty line15.0% · 202438th percentile
- People with a disability19.3% · 2020 to 202476th percentile
- People without health insurance4.5% · 2020 to 202413th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$76,595 · 202426th percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Charles City County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Charles City County, 26.9% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Charles City County
Virginia
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Charles City County, benefit checks' share of income has more than tripled since 1969, reaching 25.1% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in twice as much as benefit checks
In Charles City County, Virginia, benefit checks' share of income more than tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 25.1%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Charles City County getting SNAP food aid rose most sharply from its first year (6.0% in 2009) to 9.5% in 2010.
The share of households in Charles City County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2014 and has since fallen by about a fifth
Low on the chart: 6.0% in 2009. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Charles City County, Virginia.
How Charles City County has changed
Charles City County's population rose most sharply from its first year (6,102 in 1969) to 6,700 in 1974.
Charles City County's population was at its highest on the chart in 2009 and is down 9% since
High on the chart: 7,216 in 2009. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Charles City County, Virginia.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Charles City County more than doubled to 2,065, the highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 2020 to 2025, reaching 2,065. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Charles City County, Virginia.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 5.3% | 2025 3.6% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 14.6% | 2024 11.4% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $25,743 | 2024 $76,595 |
The table uses 3.6% for 2025; the score uses 3.8% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Charles City County's history
1619
Charles Cittie established in 1619 as one of the first four boroughs of Virginia. Wikipedia
1619
First enslaved Africans arrived Point Comfort (Hampton) 1619. Wikipedia
1634
Changed to Charles City Shire in 1634 as one of the five original Shires of Virginia. Wikipedia
2010
The county's largest recorded population was the 2010 Census count of 7,256. The 2020 Census counted 6,773, 93% of the peak. Census Bureau
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Since 1972
19 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Charles City County, 3 of them for flooding. FEMA
Charles City County beside its neighbors
Charles City County scores higher than all six counties that border it. For the share of income from benefit checks, Charles City County ranks 2nd of the five; Surry County is highest, at 29.2%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles City County, VA | 68 | 11.4% | 25.1% |
| Henrico County, VA | 47 | 10.3% | 14.7% |
| Prince George County, VA | 42 | 11.3% | — |
| Surry County, VA | 39 | 11.7% | 29.2% |
| Chesterfield County, VA | 34 | 7.1% | 17.1% |
| James City County, VA | 18 | 6.4% | — |
| New Kent County, VA | 8 | 4.4% | 10.8% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Charles City County the poorest county in Virginia?
No, Charles City County's poverty rate was 11.4% in 2024, 74th highest of 133 in Virginia (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Radford city, at 27.2%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Charles City County ranks 43rd of 133 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Charles City County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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Central Virginia Legal Aid Society
Legal aid
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Charles City County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Charles City County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.