About one in 11 people in Charlottesville city, Virginia, has a disability

In Charlottesville city, 9.4% of people reported a disability. That is lower than in 97% of U.S. counties.

Photo of Ross Kilburn
Data from
County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026
97th
of 133 counties in Virginia
33score /100

Less distressed than 66% of U.S. counties.

What drives Charlottesville city's score

In Charlottesville city, housing costs are the highest-scoring part, at 91.3. Jobs are the lowest part, at 22.4. Unemployment averaged 3.1%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026, lower than in 85% of U.S. counties.

The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Charlottesville city: 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.

Even so, Charlottesville city is worse off than most counties on renters paying half their income or more in rent (29.2%, 2020 to 2024) and rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income (25.8%, fiscal year 2027).

A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.

  • Housing costs

    Biggest factor
    91.3 of 100

    Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027

    • Renters paying half their income or more in rent
      29.2% · 2020 to 2024
      96th percentile
    • Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income
      25.8% · fiscal year 2027
      86th percentile

  • Income and safety net

    30.6 of 100

    Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey

    • People below the poverty line
      16.5% · 2024
      73rd percentile
    • Children below the poverty line
      14.6% · 2024
      36th percentile
    • People with a disability
      9.4% · 2020 to 2024
      2nd percentile
    • People without health insurance
      4.5% · 2020 to 2024
      13th percentile
    • Median household income (lower income, longer bar)
      $76,296 · 2024
      27th percentile

  • Collections and bankruptcy

    29.4 of 100

    Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025

    • People with unpaid debt sent to a collector
      15.2% · August 2025
      19th percentile
    • Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people
      106.7 · 2025
      39th percentile

  • Late payments

    27.3 of 100

    Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026

    • People with a credit card behind
      3.2% · August 2025
      13th percentile
    • People with a car or retail loan behind
      5.4% · August 2025
      53rd percentile
    • People with a subprime credit score
      30.7% · second quarter of 2026
      15th percentile

  • Jobs

    22.4 of 100

    Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey

    • Unemployment rate, average over the latest year
      3.1% · Oct 2025 to Sep 2026
      14th percentile
    • Adults 25 to 54 not working
      17.5% · 2020 to 2024
      30th percentile

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.

How Charlottesville city has changed

The number of jobs located in Charlottesville city rose by about a fifth from 1990 to 2025, reaching 37,129, with most of the change between 1990 and 1995

High on the chart: 39,237 in 2015. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Charlottesville city, Virginia.

020,00040,000 30,97937,129 19901995200020052010201520202025 020,00040,000 30,97937,129 19901995200020052010201520202025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages American Default Research · americandefault.org/counties/virginia/charlottesville-city-va/
Download data (CSV)
MeasureThenNowSource
Unemployment rateBLS LAUS 1990 2.5% 2025 2.9% BLS LAUS
People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE 1989 16.9% 2024 16.5% Census SAIPE
Median household incomeCensus SAIPE 1993 $27,837 2024 $76,296 Census SAIPE

The table uses 2.9% for 2025; the score uses 3.1% 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 Charlottesville city's history

  1. 1762

    Established in 1762 by Act of the Assembly of Albemarle County. Wikipedia

  2. 2020

    The county's largest recorded population was the 2020 Census count of 46,553, which is also its most recent census. Census Bureau

  3. Since 1972

    13 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Charlottesville city, 1 of them for flooding. FEMA

Charlottesville city beside its neighbors

Charlottesville city scores higher than all one counties that border it.

CountyDistress scoreScoreRank in its state Poverty rateBenefit checks, share of incomeBenefit checks
Charlottesville city, VA 33 97th of 133 16.5% —
Albemarle County, VA 10 123rd of 133 8.3% —

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: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.

Is Charlottesville city the poorest county in Virginia?

No, Charlottesville city's poverty rate was 16.5% in 2024, 35th 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, Charlottesville city ranks 97th of 133 in the state.

If you're behind on your mortgage in Charlottesville city

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.

Virginia foreclosure guide →

The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.

Download the CSV for Charlottesville city · Every U.S. county (CSV)

Cite this Charlottesville city, Virginia, scores 33 on the County Distress Index (data through Sep 2026): less distressed than 66% of U.S. counties · American Default Research · americandefault.org/counties/virginia/charlottesville-city-va/

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.
  • History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.