Barbour County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.6 | 15,378 people · 28th most distressed in West Virginia
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Barbour County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.6 — 1600th 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 West Virginia, it ranks 28th of 55 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Barbour County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 73.3 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 73.3
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 59
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 54
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Consumer Credit Distress 72.1
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 28
Subprime Credit Population 75
Economic Vitality 25.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 52
House Price Change (YoY) 29
Housing Cost Burden 11.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 22
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Barbour County
Barbour County, WV 49.6 Normal —
Randolph County, WV 61.1 Elevated +11.5
Upshur County, WV 53.7 Elevated +4.1
Preston County, WV 47.8 Normal -1.8
Harrison County, WV 46.9 Normal -2.7
Taylor County, WV 40.8 Normal -8.8
Tucker County, WV 30.0 Healthy -19.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Barbour County
Clinton County, IA 49.5 Normal -0.1
Williams County, OH 49.5 Normal -0.1
Seward County, KS 49.5 Normal -0.1
Hardy County, WV 49.5 Normal -0.1
Orange County, IN 49.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Barbour County

Find an Attorney

West Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

West Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 304-558-2456

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Barbour County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of West Virginia 1-866-255-4370
Mountain State Justice, Inc. 304-344-3144

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 Barbour County, West Virginia?

    Barbour County has a County Distress Index score of 49.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,600th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barbour County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barbour County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 73.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Barbour County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barbour County (49.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Randolph County, WV (61.1); Upshur County, WV (53.7); Preston County, WV (47.8).

  • 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 Normal 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). Barbour County's score of 49.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Barbour 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 Barbour County?

    Barbour County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 15,378 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.