Mingo County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.1 | 22,023 people · 4th most distressed in West Virginia
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Mingo County, WV shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.1 — 539th 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 4th of 55 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mingo County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 97.0 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 97.0
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 97
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 99
Transfer Income Dependency 99
Consumer Credit Distress 85.8
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 99
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 44
Subprime Credit Population 87
Legal Distress 45.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Economic Vitality 44.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 3
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 97
House Price Change (YoY) 14
Housing Cost Burden 25.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 61

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mingo County
Mingo County, WV 67.1 Serious —
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious +3.5
Martin County, KY 68.1 Serious +0.9
Logan County, WV 64.3 Elevated -2.8
Lincoln County, WV 63.5 Elevated -3.6
McDowell County, WV 63.0 Elevated -4.2
Buchanan County, VA 61.5 Elevated -5.6
Wayne County, WV 61.0 Elevated -6.1
Wyoming County, WV 60.5 Elevated -6.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mingo County
Calhoun County, MS 67.1 Serious 0.0
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious +0.0
De Soto Parish, LA 67.2 Serious +0.0
Barren County, KY 67.1 Serious -0.0
Murray County, GA 67.2 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mingo County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Mingo County.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF MINGO COUNTY
DELBARTON
304-475-4663 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabHomeless/Displacement

See all counselors in West Virginia →

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 Mingo 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in West Virginia →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Mingo County, West Virginia?

    Mingo County has a County Distress Index score of 67.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 539th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mingo County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mingo County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 97.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Mingo County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mingo County (67.1) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Pike County, KY (70.6); Martin County, KY (68.1); Logan County, WV (64.3).

  • 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 Serious 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). Mingo County's score of 67.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Mingo 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 Mingo County?

    Mingo County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 22,023 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.