Nicholas County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.3 | 24,169 people · 27th most distressed in West Virginia
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Nicholas County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.3 — 1503rd 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 27th of 55 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Nicholas County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 83.7 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 83.7
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 71
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 90
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Consumer Credit Distress 66.7
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Uninsured Rate 31
Subprime Credit Population 68
Economic Vitality 42.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 99
Housing Cost Burden 16.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 10
Legal Distress 8.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Nicholas County
Nicholas County, WV 51.3 Elevated —
Webster County, WV 70.5 Serious +19.3
Clay County, WV 66.8 Serious +15.5
Fayette County, WV 62.8 Elevated +11.5
Kanawha County, WV 60.1 Elevated +8.8
Greenbrier County, WV 54.6 Elevated +3.3
Braxton County, WV 47.2 Normal -4.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Nicholas County
Sierra County, NM 51.3 Elevated -0.0
Clinton County, PA 51.3 Elevated +0.0
Hickman County, TN 51.2 Elevated -0.0
Noble County, OK 51.3 Elevated +0.0
Silver Bow County, MT 51.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Nicholas 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 Nicholas 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 Nicholas County, West Virginia?

    Nicholas County has a County Distress Index score of 51.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,503rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Nicholas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Nicholas County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 83.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Nicholas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Nicholas County (51.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Webster County, WV (70.5); Clay County, WV (66.8); Fayette County, WV (62.8).

  • 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). Nicholas County's score of 51.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Nicholas 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 Nicholas County?

    Nicholas County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 24,169 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.