Greenbrier County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.6 | 32,149 people · 23rd most distressed in West Virginia
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Greenbrier County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.6 — 1298th 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 23rd of 55 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Greenbrier County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 78.6 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 78.6
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 68
Disability Rate 77
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Housing Cost Burden 59.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 65
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 52
Consumer Credit Distress 51.2
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 49
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 32
Subprime Credit Population 55
Economic Vitality 50.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 52
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Legal Distress 24.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Greenbrier County
Greenbrier County, WV 54.6 Elevated —
Webster County, WV 70.5 Serious +15.9
Fayette County, WV 62.8 Elevated +8.1
Summers County, WV 61.3 Elevated +6.7
Nicholas County, WV 51.3 Elevated -3.3
Monroe County, WV 48.5 Normal -6.1
Alleghany County, VA 47.9 Normal -6.7
Pocahontas County, WV 36.0 Normal -18.6
Bath County, VA 30.1 Healthy -24.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Greenbrier County
Murray County, OK 54.6 Elevated -0.0
Grayson County, VA 54.6 Elevated -0.0
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated +0.1
Lafayette County, MO 54.5 Elevated -0.1
Ohio County, KY 54.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Greenbrier 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 Greenbrier 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 Greenbrier County, West Virginia?

    Greenbrier County has a County Distress Index score of 54.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,298th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Greenbrier County?

    The primary driver of distress in Greenbrier County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 78.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Greenbrier County compare to neighboring counties?

    Greenbrier County (54.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Webster County, WV (70.5); Fayette County, WV (62.8); Summers County, WV (61.3).

  • 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). Greenbrier County's score of 54.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Greenbrier 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 Greenbrier County?

    Greenbrier County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 32,149 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.