Calhoun County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.8 | 5,959 people · 22nd most distressed in West Virginia
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Calhoun County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.8 — 1286th 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 22nd of 55 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Calhoun County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 88.3 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 88.3
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 75.8
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 90
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 73
Economic Vitality 36.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 28
Housing Cost Burden 12.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 9
Legal Distress 9.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Calhoun County
Calhoun County, WV 54.8 Elevated —
Clay County, WV 66.8 Serious +12.0
Gilmer County, WV 48.6 Normal -6.3
Roane County, WV 48.3 Normal -6.5
Braxton County, WV 47.2 Normal -7.6
Ritchie County, WV 41.3 Normal -13.5
Wirt County, WV 38.1 Normal -16.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Calhoun County
Clay County, TN 54.8 Elevated 0.0
Perry County, TN 54.8 Elevated +0.0
Wheeler County, TX 54.9 Elevated +0.1
Nowata County, OK 54.7 Elevated -0.1
Kinney County, TX 55.1 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Calhoun 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 Calhoun 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 Calhoun County, West Virginia?

    Calhoun County has a County Distress Index score of 54.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,286th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Calhoun County?

    The primary driver of distress in Calhoun County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 88.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Calhoun County compare to neighboring counties?

    Calhoun County (54.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clay County, WV (66.8); Gilmer County, WV (48.6); Roane County, WV (48.3).

  • 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). Calhoun County's score of 54.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Calhoun 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 Calhoun County?

    Calhoun County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 5,959 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.