Rockbridge County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.1 | 22,358 people · 91st most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Rockbridge County, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.1 — 2344th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Virginia, it ranks 91st of 133 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Rockbridge County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 54.5 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 54.5
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 70
Community Vulnerability 43.7
Uninsured Rate 21
Disability Rate 66
Income & Poverty 39.3
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 51
Child Poverty Rate 35
Housing Cost Burden 31.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 24
Debt & Delinquency 31.0
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 15
Student Loan Delinquency 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 15
Credit Card Delinquency 34
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Rockbridge County compares to its 9 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Rockbridge County
Rockbridge County, VA 40.1 Normal —
Buena Vista city, VA 57.5 Elevated +17.4
Amherst County, VA 52.6 Elevated +12.5
Alleghany County, VA 51.6 Elevated +11.5
Lexington city, VA 44.3 Normal +4.2
Nelson County, VA 40.7 Normal +0.7
Augusta County, VA 37.6 Normal -2.4
Bedford County, VA 34.6 Healthy -5.5
Bath County, VA 33.1 Healthy -7.0
Botetourt County, VA 20.8 Healthy -19.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Rockbridge County
Pulaski County, IN 40.1 Normal 0.0
Minidoka County, ID 40.1 Normal +0.0
Sevier County, UT 40.0 Normal -0.0
Gasconade County, MO 40.1 Normal +0.0
Fulton County, PA 40.0 Normal -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rockbridge 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 Rockbridge 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Rockbridge County has a County Distress Index score of 40.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,344th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 91st in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rockbridge County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rockbridge County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 54.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Rockbridge County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rockbridge County (40.1) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Buena Vista city, VA (57.5); Amherst County, VA (52.6); Alleghany County, VA (51.6).

  • 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 Rockbridge County?

    Rockbridge County, Virginia has a population of approximately 22,358 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.