McDowell County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.0 | 17,439 people · 10th most distressed in West Virginia
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McDowell County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.0 — 773rd 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 10th 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. McDowell County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 95.0
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 78.0
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 46
Subprime Credit Population 78
Economic Vitality 47.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 28
Housing Cost Burden 35.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 43
Legal Distress 10.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McDowell County
McDowell County, WV 63.0 Elevated —
Mingo County, WV 67.1 Serious +4.2
Mercer County, WV 64.6 Elevated +1.6
Buchanan County, VA 61.5 Elevated -1.4
Tazewell County, VA 61.2 Elevated -1.8
Wyoming County, WV 60.5 Elevated -2.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McDowell County
Grundy County, TN 63.0 Elevated +0.0
Madison County, MO 63.0 Elevated +0.0
Sevier County, AR 62.9 Elevated -0.1
Henry County, MO 62.9 Elevated -0.1
Holmes County, FL 62.8 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in McDowell 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 McDowell 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 McDowell County, West Virginia?

    McDowell County has a County Distress Index score of 63.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 773rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McDowell County?

    The primary driver of distress in McDowell County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does McDowell County compare to neighboring counties?

    McDowell County (63.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Mingo County, WV (67.1); Mercer County, WV (64.6); Buchanan County, VA (61.5).

  • 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 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). McDowell County's score of 63.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    McDowell 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 McDowell County?

    McDowell County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 17,439 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.