Jackson County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.1 | 27,593 people · 36th most distressed in West Virginia
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Jackson County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.1 — 1703rd 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 36th of 55 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 68.4 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 68.4
Unemployment Rate 90
Poverty Rate 60
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Consumer Credit Distress 56.8
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Uninsured Rate 31
Subprime Credit Population 50
Legal Distress 31.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Economic Vitality 30.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 87
House Price Change (YoY) 15
Housing Cost Burden 30.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 27
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, WV 48.1 Normal —
Kanawha County, WV 60.1 Elevated +11.9
Meigs County, OH 58.8 Elevated +10.6
Wood County, WV 51.5 Elevated +3.4
Roane County, WV 48.3 Normal +0.2
Mason County, WV 46.4 Normal -1.7
Putnam County, WV 46.0 Normal -2.1
Wirt County, WV 38.1 Normal -10.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Greene County, GA 48.1 Normal -0.0
Massac County, IL 48.2 Normal +0.0
Miller County, MO 48.2 Normal +0.1
Rio Arriba County, NM 48.2 Normal +0.1
Cherokee County, NC 48.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County, West Virginia?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 48.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,703rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 68.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (48.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Kanawha County, WV (60.1); Meigs County, OH (58.8); Wood County, WV (51.5).

  • 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). Jackson County's score of 48.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 27,593 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.