Highland County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.3 | 2,339 people · 71st most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Highland County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.3 — 1877th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Virginia, it ranks 71st of 133 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Highland County's primary driver is Income & Poverty at 64.0 — above the national median.

Income & Poverty Primary driver 64.0
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 65
Community Vulnerability 59.2
Uninsured Rate 42
Disability Rate 76
Debt & Delinquency 40.7
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Employment & Wages 34.5
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 11
Housing Cost Burden 33.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Highland County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Highland County
Highland County, VA 46.3 Normal —
Pocahontas County, WV 50.2 Elevated +3.9
Pendleton County, WV 44.6 Normal -1.7
Augusta County, VA 37.6 Normal -8.7
Bath County, VA 33.1 Healthy -13.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Highland County
Jefferson County, NE 46.4 Normal +0.0
Grant County, OK 46.3 Normal -0.1
McMullen County, TX 46.4 Normal +0.1
Wilson County, KS 46.2 Normal -0.1
Deuel County, NE 46.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Highland County

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 Highland 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Highland County, Virginia?

    Highland County has a County Distress Index score of 46.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,877th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 71st in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Highland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Highland County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 64.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.

  • How does Highland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Highland County (46.3) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Pocahontas County, WV (50.2); Pendleton County, WV (44.6); Augusta County, VA (37.6).

  • 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 Highland County?

    Highland County, Virginia has a population of approximately 2,339 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.