Ohio County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.9 | 41,194 people · 21st most distressed in West Virginia
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Ohio County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.9 — 1276th 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 21st of 55 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ohio County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.4 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 79
Consumer Credit Distress 51.7
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 48
Structural Poverty 46.7
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 53
Transfer Income Dependency 43
Legal Distress 40.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Economic Vitality 36.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 65

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ohio County
Ohio County, WV 54.9 Elevated —
Jefferson County, OH 63.7 Elevated +8.7
Brooke County, WV 58.1 Elevated +3.2
Belmont County, OH 56.3 Elevated +1.4
Marshall County, WV 52.8 Elevated -2.1
Washington County, PA 36.2 Normal -18.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ohio County
Hardin County, OH 54.9 Elevated -0.0
Larue County, KY 55.0 Elevated +0.0
Staunton city, VA 55.0 Elevated +0.0
Ogemaw County, MI 54.9 Elevated -0.0
Lawrence County, AL 54.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio County, West Virginia?

    Ohio County has a County Distress Index score of 54.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,276th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ohio County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ohio County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Ohio County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ohio County (54.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, OH (63.7); Brooke County, WV (58.1); Belmont County, OH (56.3).

  • 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 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). Ohio County's score of 54.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Ohio 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 Ohio County?

    Ohio County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 41,194 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.