Roane County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.3 | 13,743 people · 35th most distressed in West Virginia
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Roane County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.3 — 1694th 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 35th 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. Roane County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 85.2 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 85.2
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Consumer Credit Distress 53.9
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 63
Economic Vitality 42.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 72
House Price Change (YoY) 28
Housing Cost Burden 29.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 16
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 35
Legal Distress 7.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Roane County
Roane County, WV 48.3 Normal —
Clay County, WV 66.8 Serious +18.4
Kanawha County, WV 60.1 Elevated +11.7
Calhoun County, WV 54.8 Elevated +6.5
Jackson County, WV 48.1 Normal -0.2
Wirt County, WV 38.1 Normal -10.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Roane County
Woodward County, OK 48.3 Normal 0.0
Charlottesville city, VA 48.4 Normal +0.0
Burleson County, TX 48.4 Normal +0.0
Asotin County, WA 48.4 Normal +0.0
Grant County, WV 48.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Roane 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 Roane 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in West Virginia →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Roane County has a County Distress Index score of 48.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,694th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Roane County?

    The primary driver of distress in Roane County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 85.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Roane County compare to neighboring counties?

    Roane County (48.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Clay County, WV (66.8); Kanawha County, WV (60.1); Calhoun County, WV (54.8).

  • 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 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). Roane County's score of 48.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Roane 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 Roane County?

    Roane County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 13,743 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.