Suffolk city, Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.8 | 100,659 people · 64th most distressed in Virginia
American Default Research

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Suffolk city, VA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.8 — 1694th 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 64th of 133 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Suffolk city's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.5 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Debt & Delinquency 54.5
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 22
Student Loan Delinquency 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 63
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Employment & Wages 49.6
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 18
Community Vulnerability 26.2
Uninsured Rate 31
Disability Rate 21
Income & Poverty 25.9
Poverty Rate 30
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Suffolk city
Suffolk city, VA 48.8 Normal —
Portsmouth city, VA 70.7 Serious +22.0
Newport News city, VA 65.8 Serious +17.1
Gates County, NC 57.0 Elevated +8.2
Southampton County, VA 51.0 Elevated +2.2
Chesapeake city, VA 45.2 Normal -3.5
Isle of Wight County, VA 36.9 Normal -11.9
Camden County, NC 29.2 Healthy -19.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Suffolk city
Hampshire County, MA 48.8 Normal 0.0
Marshall County, AL 48.8 Normal -0.0
Washington County, NY 48.8 Normal +0.0
Livingston Parish, LA 48.8 Normal +0.1
Warren County, KY 48.6 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Suffolk city

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 Suffolk 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Suffolk city, Virginia?

    Suffolk city has a County Distress Index score of 48.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,694th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Suffolk city?

    The primary driver of distress in Suffolk city is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Suffolk city compare to neighboring counties?

    Suffolk city (48.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Portsmouth city, VA (70.7); Newport News city, VA (65.8); Gates County, NC (57.0).

  • 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 Suffolk city?

    Suffolk city, Virginia has a population of approximately 100,659 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.