Gilmer County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.6 | 7,254 people · 32nd most distressed in West Virginia
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Gilmer County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.6 — 1672nd 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 32nd of 55 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Gilmer County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 76.6 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 76.6
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Consumer Credit Distress 64.0
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 65
Economic Vitality 43.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 83
House Price Change (YoY) 28
Housing Cost Burden 14.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 39
Legal Distress 6.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gilmer County
Gilmer County, WV 48.6 Normal —
Lewis County, WV 57.9 Elevated +9.4
Calhoun County, WV 54.8 Elevated +6.3
Braxton County, WV 47.2 Normal -1.4
Doddridge County, WV 43.5 Normal -5.1
Ritchie County, WV 41.3 Normal -7.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gilmer County
Modoc County, CA 48.6 Normal 0.0
Union County, NM 48.5 Normal -0.0
Lyon County, KY 48.7 Normal +0.1
Mills County, TX 48.4 Normal -0.1
Greenwood County, KS 48.8 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gilmer 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 Gilmer 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 Gilmer County, West Virginia?

    Gilmer County has a County Distress Index score of 48.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,672nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gilmer County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gilmer County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 76.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Gilmer County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gilmer County (48.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lewis County, WV (57.9); Calhoun County, WV (54.8); Braxton County, WV (47.2).

  • 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). Gilmer County's score of 48.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Gilmer 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 Gilmer County?

    Gilmer County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 7,254 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.