Hampshire County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.9 | 23,649 people · 43rd most distressed in West Virginia
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Hampshire County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.9 — 2021st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within West Virginia, it ranks 43rd of 55 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hampshire County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 83.0 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 83.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 16
Structural Poverty 54.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 58
Disability Rate 97
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Consumer Credit Distress 49.3
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 43
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 56
Subprime Credit Population 52
Legal Distress 18.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18
Housing Cost Burden 13.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hampshire County
Hampshire County, WV 42.9 Normal —
Allegany County, MD 57.4 Elevated +14.5
Hardy County, WV 49.5 Normal +6.6
Grant County, WV 48.4 Normal +5.5
Mineral County, WV 40.3 Normal -2.6
Frederick County, VA 37.4 Normal -5.5
Morgan County, WV 36.7 Normal -6.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hampshire County
Linn County, MO 42.9 Normal 0.0
Baker County, OR 42.9 Normal +0.0
Orange County, VA 42.9 Normal -0.0
Lincoln County, MT 42.8 Normal -0.1
Bennington County, VT 43.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hampshire 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 Hampshire 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 Hampshire County, West Virginia?

    Hampshire County has a County Distress Index score of 42.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,021st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hampshire County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hampshire County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 83.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Hampshire County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hampshire County (42.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Allegany County, MD (57.4); Hardy County, WV (49.5); Grant County, WV (48.4).

  • 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). Hampshire County's score of 42.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Hampshire 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 Hampshire County?

    Hampshire County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 23,649 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.