Stafford County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.3 | 165,428 people · 114th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Stafford County, VA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.3 — 2740th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Virginia, it ranks 114th of 133 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Stafford County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 58.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 58.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 91
Homeownership Rate 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Employment & Wages 49.0
Unemployment Rate 38
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 13
Debt & Delinquency 37.9
Debt in Collections 30
Medical Debt 15
Student Loan Delinquency 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 53
Credit Card Delinquency 34
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Community Vulnerability 19.9
Uninsured Rate 37
Disability Rate 3
Income & Poverty 1.3
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 0
Child Poverty Rate 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Stafford County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Stafford County
Stafford County, VA 33.3 Healthy —
Fredericksburg city, VA 51.2 Elevated +17.9
Charles County, MD 42.6 Normal +9.3
Caroline County, VA 41.1 Normal +7.8
Culpeper County, VA 40.8 Normal +7.5
Spotsylvania County, VA 39.2 Normal +5.9
Prince William County, VA 38.6 Normal +5.3
Fauquier County, VA 28.9 Healthy -4.4
King George County, VA 27.1 Healthy -6.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Stafford County
Scott County, KY 33.4 Healthy +0.1
Winnebago County, WI 33.2 Healthy -0.1
Grand Forks County, ND 33.2 Healthy -0.2
St. Mary's County, MD 33.5 Healthy +0.2
Washington County, PA 33.1 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stafford 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 Stafford 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 Stafford County, Virginia?

    Stafford County has a County Distress Index score of 33.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,740th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 114th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stafford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stafford County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 58.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Stafford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stafford County (33.3) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Fredericksburg city, VA (51.2); Charles County, MD (42.6); Caroline County, VA (41.1).

  • 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 Stafford County?

    Stafford County, Virginia has a population of approximately 165,428 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.