Montgomery County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.8 | 98,666 people · 79th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Montgomery County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.8 — 2100th 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 79th of 133 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Montgomery County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 71.6 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 71.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Employment & Wages 55.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 74
Income & Poverty 52.2
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 23
Debt & Delinquency 27.6
Debt in Collections 13
Medical Debt 16
Student Loan Delinquency 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 40
Credit Card Delinquency 20
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Community Vulnerability 12.2
Uninsured Rate 18
Disability Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Montgomery County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, VA 43.8 Normal —
Radford city, VA 62.3 Elevated +18.5
Pulaski County, VA 57.7 Elevated +13.9
Craig County, VA 42.6 Normal -1.2
Giles County, VA 38.8 Normal -5.0
Floyd County, VA 37.7 Normal -6.1
Roanoke County, VA 30.3 Healthy -13.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Montgomery County
Rensselaer County, NY 43.8 Normal -0.0
Johnson County, MO 43.8 Normal +0.0
Rock County, WI 43.7 Normal -0.0
Napa County, CA 43.7 Normal -0.1
Newton County, MO 43.8 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Montgomery County.

COMMUNITY HOUSING PARTNERS CORPORATION
Christiansburg
540-260-9039 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
NEW RIVER COMMUNITY ACTION (MONTGOMERY AREA)
Christiansburg
540-381-1561 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFair HousingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Lease/Pre-Purchase

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 Montgomery 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 43.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,100th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 79th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 71.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (43.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Radford city, VA (62.3); Pulaski County, VA (57.7); Craig County, VA (42.6).

  • 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Virginia has a population of approximately 98,666 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.