Pleasants County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.7 | 7,428 people · 46th most distressed in West Virginia
American Default Research

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Pleasants County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.7 — 2154th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within West Virginia, it ranks 46th of 55 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pleasants County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 58.1 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 58.1
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 56
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 58
Subprime Credit Population 59
Structural Poverty 56.4
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 45
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Economic Vitality 23.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 12
Business Formation Rate 94
House Price Change (YoY) 14
Legal Distress 18.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18
Housing Cost Burden 8.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 13
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pleasants County
Pleasants County, WV 40.7 Normal —
Wood County, WV 51.5 Elevated +10.8
Washington County, OH 47.9 Normal +7.2
Ritchie County, WV 41.3 Normal +0.6
Tyler County, WV 37.6 Normal -3.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pleasants County
Monroe County, IA 40.6 Normal -0.1
Mora County, NM 40.8 Normal +0.1
Dewey County, OK 40.8 Normal +0.1
Hardin County, IL 40.6 Normal -0.1
Clearwater County, ID 40.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pleasants 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 Pleasants 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Pleasants County has a County Distress Index score of 40.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,154th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pleasants County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pleasants County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 58.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Pleasants County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pleasants County (40.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Wood County, WV (51.5); Washington County, OH (47.9); Ritchie County, WV (41.3).

  • 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). Pleasants County's score of 40.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Pleasants 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 Pleasants County?

    Pleasants County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 7,428 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.