Norfolk city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.6 | 230,930 people · 9th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Norfolk city, VA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.6 — 283rd 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 9th of 133 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Norfolk city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 96.2 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 96.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 98
Homeownership Rate 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Debt & Delinquency 76.9
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 23
Student Loan Delinquency 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Income & Poverty 74.8
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 80
Community Vulnerability 49.4
Uninsured Rate 59
Disability Rate 40
Employment & Wages 45.6
Unemployment Rate 58
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Norfolk city compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Norfolk city
Norfolk city, VA 68.6 Serious —
Portsmouth city, VA 70.7 Serious +2.1
Hampton city, VA 64.3 Elevated -4.3
Northampton County, VA 60.9 Elevated -7.7
Chesapeake city, VA 45.2 Normal -23.4
Virginia Beach city, VA 43.4 Normal -25.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Norfolk city
Ashtabula County, OH 68.6 Serious +0.0
Chaves County, NM 68.5 Serious -0.0
Scioto County, OH 68.5 Serious -0.1
Tangipahoa Parish, LA 68.5 Serious -0.1
Apache County, AZ 68.7 Serious +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Norfolk city as a CSV file.

Find Help in Norfolk city

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Norfolk city.

CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES OF EASTERN VIRGINIA, INC. D/B/A THE UP CENTER
Norfolk
757-622-7017 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
CREDIT.ORG - VIRGINIA BRANCH
Norfolk
757-657-4493 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
HOMENET (Norfolk RHA)
Norfolk
757-314-4202
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
URBAN LEAGUE OF HAMPTON ROADS
Norfolk
757-627-0864 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 Norfolk 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 Norfolk city, Virginia?

    Norfolk city has a County Distress Index score of 68.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 283rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Norfolk city?

    The primary driver of distress in Norfolk city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 96.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Norfolk city compare to neighboring counties?

    Norfolk city (68.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Portsmouth city, VA (70.7); Hampton city, VA (64.3); Northampton County, VA (60.9).

  • 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 Norfolk city?

    Norfolk city, Virginia has a population of approximately 230,930 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.