Hardy County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.5 | 14,251 people · 29th most distressed in West Virginia
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Hardy County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.5 — 1606th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within West Virginia, it ranks 29th of 55 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hardy County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 71.3 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 71.3
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 65
Structural Poverty 55.1
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 42
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Economic Vitality 40.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 17.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 21
Legal Distress 6.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardy County
Hardy County, WV 49.5 Normal —
Grant County, WV 48.4 Normal -1.1
Hampshire County, WV 42.9 Normal -6.6
Shenandoah County, VA 40.6 Normal -8.9
Mineral County, WV 40.3 Normal -9.2
Pendleton County, WV 39.1 Normal -10.4
Frederick County, VA 37.4 Normal -12.1
Rockingham County, VA 32.2 Healthy -17.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardy County
Seward County, KS 49.5 Normal +0.0
Clinton County, IA 49.5 Normal +0.0
Williams County, OH 49.5 Normal +0.0
Coos County, NH 49.4 Normal -0.0
White County, IN 49.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hardy 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 Hardy 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 Hardy County, West Virginia?

    Hardy County has a County Distress Index score of 49.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,606th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hardy County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hardy County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 71.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Hardy County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hardy County (49.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Grant County, WV (48.4); Hampshire County, WV (42.9); Shenandoah County, VA (40.6).

  • 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). Hardy County's score of 49.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Hardy 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 Hardy County?

    Hardy County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 14,251 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.