Braxton County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.2 | 12,162 people · 38th most distressed in West Virginia
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Braxton County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.2 — 1764th 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 38th of 55 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Braxton County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.5 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.5
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Consumer Credit Distress 57.7
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 62
Subprime Credit Population 51
Economic Vitality 43.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 28
Legal Distress 17.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18
Housing Cost Burden 15.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Braxton County
Braxton County, WV 47.2 Normal —
Webster County, WV 70.5 Serious +23.3
Clay County, WV 66.8 Serious +19.6
Lewis County, WV 57.9 Elevated +10.7
Calhoun County, WV 54.8 Elevated +7.6
Nicholas County, WV 51.3 Elevated +4.1
Gilmer County, WV 48.6 Normal +1.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Braxton County
Nelson County, KY 47.2 Normal -0.0
Young County, TX 47.2 Normal -0.0
Adams County, WI 47.3 Normal +0.1
Noble County, IN 47.3 Normal +0.1
Lawrence County, MO 47.1 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Braxton County

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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 Braxton County residents at no cost.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Braxton County, West Virginia?

    Braxton County has a County Distress Index score of 47.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,764th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Braxton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Braxton County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Braxton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Braxton County (47.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Webster County, WV (70.5); Clay County, WV (66.8); Lewis County, WV (57.9).

  • 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). Braxton County's score of 47.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Braxton 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 Braxton County?

    Braxton County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 12,162 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.