Raleigh County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.1 | 72,356 people · 8th most distressed in West Virginia
American Default Research

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Raleigh County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.1 — 704th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within West Virginia, it ranks 8th of 55 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Raleigh County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 72.1 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 72.1
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 13
Subprime Credit Population 74
Structural Poverty 71.9
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 65
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Housing Cost Burden 68.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 49
Legal Distress 30.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Economic Vitality 28.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 41
House Price Change (YoY) 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Raleigh County
Raleigh County, WV 64.1 Elevated —
Boone County, WV 70.5 Serious +6.4
Mercer County, WV 64.6 Elevated +0.5
Fayette County, WV 62.8 Elevated -1.3
Summers County, WV 61.3 Elevated -2.8
Wyoming County, WV 60.5 Elevated -3.6
Kanawha County, WV 60.1 Elevated -4.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Raleigh County
Whitfield County, GA 64.1 Elevated 0.0
Lyon County, NV 64.1 Elevated 0.0
Onslow County, NC 64.2 Elevated +0.1
Clay County, FL 64.2 Elevated +0.1
Rutherford County, NC 64.2 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Raleigh 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh County, West Virginia?

    Raleigh County has a County Distress Index score of 64.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 704th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Raleigh County?

    The primary driver of distress in Raleigh County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 72.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Raleigh County compare to neighboring counties?

    Raleigh County (64.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Boone County, WV (70.5); Mercer County, WV (64.6); 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). Raleigh County's score of 64.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Raleigh 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 Raleigh County?

    Raleigh County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 72,356 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.