Fayette County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.8 | 39,072 people · 11th most distressed in West Virginia
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Fayette County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.8 — 784th 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 11th of 55 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Fayette County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 79.5 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 79.5
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 71
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Consumer Credit Distress 79.0
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 78
Economic Vitality 44.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 8
Housing Cost Burden 42.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 51
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 43
Legal Distress 12.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fayette County
Fayette County, WV 62.8 Elevated —
Raleigh County, WV 64.1 Elevated +1.3
Summers County, WV 61.3 Elevated -1.5
Kanawha County, WV 60.1 Elevated -2.7
Greenbrier County, WV 54.6 Elevated -8.1
Nicholas County, WV 51.3 Elevated -11.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fayette County
Boyle County, KY 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Scott County, IN 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Breathitt County, KY 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Shelby County, TX 62.8 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fayette County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Fayette County.

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN LABOR SCHOOL FOUNDATION, INC.
OAK HILL
304-250-7627 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFair HousingHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in West Virginia →

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 Fayette 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in West Virginia →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Fayette County has a County Distress Index score of 62.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 784th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fayette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fayette County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 79.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Fayette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fayette County (62.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Raleigh County, WV (64.1); Summers County, WV (61.3); Kanawha County, WV (60.1).

  • 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). Fayette County's score of 62.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Fayette 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 Fayette County?

    Fayette County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 39,072 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.