Taylor County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.8 | 16,388 people · 45th most distressed in West Virginia
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Taylor County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.8 — 2142nd 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 45th of 55 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Taylor County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 52.9 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 52.9
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 41
Credit Card Delinquency 76
Uninsured Rate 40
Subprime Credit Population 45
Structural Poverty 51.9
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Economic Vitality 30.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 88
House Price Change (YoY) 13
Legal Distress 25.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26
Housing Cost Burden 17.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 23
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 6
Homeownership Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Taylor County
Taylor County, WV 40.8 Normal —
Barbour County, WV 49.6 Normal +8.8
Monongalia County, WV 49.5 Normal +8.7
Marion County, WV 49.4 Normal +8.6
Preston County, WV 47.8 Normal +7.0
Harrison County, WV 46.9 Normal +6.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Taylor County
Pacific County, WA 40.8 Normal -0.0
Orleans County, VT 40.9 Normal +0.1
Duchesne County, UT 40.9 Normal +0.1
Edgar County, IL 40.7 Normal -0.1
Greene County, VA 40.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Taylor 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 Taylor 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 Taylor County, West Virginia?

    Taylor County has a County Distress Index score of 40.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,142nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Taylor County?

    The primary driver of distress in Taylor County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 52.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Taylor County compare to neighboring counties?

    Taylor County (40.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Barbour County, WV (49.6); Monongalia County, WV (49.5); Marion County, WV (49.4).

  • 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). Taylor County's score of 40.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Taylor 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 Taylor County?

    Taylor County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 16,388 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.