Wise County, Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.5 | 35,174 people · 43rd most distressed in Virginia
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Wise County, VA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.5 — 985th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Virginia, it ranks 43rd of 133 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 8 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wise County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 74.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 74.7
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 99
Transfer Income Dependency 55
Legal Distress 73.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Consumer Credit Distress 64.1
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 36
Subprime Credit Population 70
Economic Vitality 56.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 96
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Housing Cost Burden 37.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 27
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 36
Homeownership Rate 52

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wise County
Wise County, VA 59.5 Elevated —
Lee County, VA 72.0 Serious +12.4
Harlan County, KY 70.7 Serious +11.2
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious +11.1
Norton city, VA 65.9 Serious +6.3
Letcher County, KY 57.4 Elevated -2.1
Scott County, VA 54.5 Elevated -5.1
Dickenson County, VA 54.3 Elevated -5.3
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated -6.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wise County
Taylor County, KY 59.5 Elevated +0.0
Lamb County, TX 59.5 Elevated +0.0
McNairy County, TN 59.5 Elevated -0.0
Fulton County, AR 59.6 Elevated +0.0
Caldwell County, KY 59.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wise 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 Wise 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 Wise County, Virginia?

    Wise County has a County Distress Index score of 59.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 985th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in Virginia out of 133 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wise County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wise County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 74.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wise County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wise County (59.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Lee County, VA (72.0); Harlan County, KY (70.7); Pike County, KY (70.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Wise County's score of 59.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Wise County's CDI score?

    Wise County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Wise County?

    Wise County, Virginia has a population of approximately 35,174 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.