Brooke County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.1 | 21,373 people · 18th most distressed in West Virginia
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Brooke County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.1 — 1066th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within West Virginia, it ranks 18th of 55 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Brooke County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 71.1 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 71.1
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 93
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 34
Subprime Credit Population 49
Structural Poverty 64.7
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 48
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Economic Vitality 47.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 97
House Price Change (YoY) 1
Legal Distress 39.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 40
Housing Cost Burden 36.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Brooke County
Brooke County, WV 58.1 Elevated —
Jefferson County, OH 63.7 Elevated +5.5
Hancock County, WV 60.5 Elevated +2.3
Ohio County, WV 54.9 Elevated -3.2
Washington County, PA 36.2 Normal -21.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Brooke County
Graves County, KY 58.1 Elevated +0.0
Perry County, AR 58.2 Elevated +0.0
Tishomingo County, MS 58.1 Elevated -0.0
Stoddard County, MO 58.2 Elevated +0.0
Bates County, MO 58.2 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brooke 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 Brooke 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 Brooke County, West Virginia?

    Brooke County has a County Distress Index score of 58.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,066th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brooke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brooke County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 71.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Brooke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brooke County (58.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, OH (63.7); Hancock County, WV (60.5); Ohio County, WV (54.9).

  • 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 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). Brooke County's score of 58.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Brooke 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 Brooke County?

    Brooke County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 21,373 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.