Monongalia County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.5 | 107,718 people · 30th most distressed in West Virginia
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Monongalia County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.5 — 1607th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within West Virginia, it ranks 30th of 55 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Monongalia County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 85.5 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 85.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 47.1
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Uninsured Rate 21
Subprime Credit Population 47
Economic Vitality 32.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 48
House Price Change (YoY) 74
Structural Poverty 31.4
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 20
Child Poverty Rate 24
Disability Rate 17
Transfer Income Dependency 15
Legal Distress 10.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Monongalia County
Monongalia County, WV 49.5 Normal —
Fayette County, PA 63.3 Elevated +13.8
Marion County, WV 49.4 Normal -0.1
Greene County, PA 49.3 Normal -0.2
Preston County, WV 47.8 Normal -1.7
Taylor County, WV 40.8 Normal -8.7
Wetzel County, WV 40.5 Normal -9.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Monongalia County
Cass County, MO 49.5 Normal +0.0
Marion County, WV 49.4 Normal -0.1
Blount County, TN 49.4 Normal -0.1
Wagoner County, OK 49.6 Normal +0.1
Berkshire County, MA 49.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Monongalia County

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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 Monongalia 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 Monongalia County, West Virginia?

    Monongalia County has a County Distress Index score of 49.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,607th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Monongalia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Monongalia County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 85.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Monongalia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Monongalia County (49.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Fayette County, PA (63.3); Marion County, WV (49.4); Greene County, PA (49.3).

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

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

    Monongalia 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 Monongalia County?

    Monongalia County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 107,718 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.