Westmoreland County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.0 | 19,013 people · 30th most distressed in Virginia
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Westmoreland County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.0 — 688th 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 30th of 133 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Westmoreland County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 69.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 69.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Debt & Delinquency 68.6
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 22
Student Loan Delinquency 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Employment & Wages 65.3
Unemployment Rate 78
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 30
Community Vulnerability 56.9
Uninsured Rate 45
Disability Rate 69
Income & Poverty 49.6
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 42
Child Poverty Rate 65

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Westmoreland County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County, VA 62.0 Elevated —
Essex County, VA 62.1 Elevated +0.1
Richmond County, VA 53.9 Elevated -8.2
Northumberland County, VA 44.8 Normal -17.2
Charles County, MD 42.6 Normal -19.4
St. Mary's County, MD 33.5 Healthy -28.5
King George County, VA 27.1 Healthy -34.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Westmoreland County
Beckham County, OK 62.0 Elevated +0.0
St. Mary Parish, LA 62.0 Elevated -0.0
Yalobusha County, MS 62.0 Elevated -0.0
Breathitt County, KY 62.1 Elevated +0.1
Essex County, VA 62.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland County, Virginia?

    Westmoreland County has a County Distress Index score of 62.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 688th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Westmoreland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Westmoreland County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 69.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Westmoreland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Westmoreland County (62.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Essex County, VA (62.1); Richmond County, VA (53.9); Northumberland County, VA (44.8).

  • 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 Westmoreland County?

    Westmoreland County, Virginia has a population of approximately 19,013 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.