Newport News city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.8 | 183,118 people · 12th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Newport News city, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.8 — 451st 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 12th of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Newport News city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.5 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 90
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 98
Debt & Delinquency 75.1
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 20
Student Loan Delinquency 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 91
Income & Poverty 63.9
Poverty Rate 66
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 72
Employment & Wages 52.0
Unemployment Rate 58
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 17
Community Vulnerability 46.7
Uninsured Rate 55
Disability Rate 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Newport News city compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Newport News city
Newport News city, VA 65.8 Serious —
Portsmouth city, VA 70.7 Serious +4.9
Hampton city, VA 64.3 Elevated -1.5
Suffolk city, VA 48.8 Normal -17.1
Surry County, VA 37.3 Normal -28.5
Isle of Wight County, VA 36.9 Normal -28.9
James City County, VA 35.2 Normal -30.6
York County, VA 33.8 Healthy -32.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Newport News city
Lincoln County, OR 65.8 Serious -0.0
Calhoun County, AL 65.8 Serious -0.1
Ross County, OH 65.9 Serious +0.1
Acadia Parish, LA 66.1 Serious +0.2
Hernando County, FL 66.2 Serious +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Newport News city as a CSV file.

Find Help in Newport News city

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Newport News city.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF EASTERN VIRGINIA
Newport News
757-875-0060 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
COMMONWEALTH CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Newport News
804-285-5986 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase
HAMPTON ROADS COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM, INC.
Newport News
757-247-0379 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Newport News city 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 Newport News city, Virginia?

    Newport News city has a County Distress Index score of 65.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 451st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Newport News city?

    The primary driver of distress in Newport News city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Newport News city compare to neighboring counties?

    Newport News city (65.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Portsmouth city, VA (70.7); Hampton city, VA (64.3); Suffolk city, VA (48.8).

  • 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 Newport News city?

    Newport News city, Virginia has a population of approximately 183,118 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.