Upshur County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.7 | 23,529 people · 24th most distressed in West Virginia
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Upshur County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.7 — 1357th 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 24th 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. Upshur County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 68.2 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 68.2
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 55
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Housing Cost Burden 65.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 20
Economic Vitality 51.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 39
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 58
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Consumer Credit Distress 50.6
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Uninsured Rate 43
Subprime Credit Population 61
Legal Distress 16.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Upshur County
Upshur County, WV 53.7 Elevated —
Webster County, WV 70.5 Serious +16.8
Randolph County, WV 61.1 Elevated +7.4
Lewis County, WV 57.9 Elevated +4.2
Barbour County, WV 49.6 Normal -4.1
Harrison County, WV 46.9 Normal -6.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Upshur County
Vinton County, OH 53.7 Elevated +0.0
Prowers County, CO 53.7 Elevated -0.0
Newton County, IN 53.8 Elevated +0.0
Dade County, GA 53.8 Elevated +0.0
Pendleton County, KY 53.7 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Upshur 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 Upshur 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 Upshur County, West Virginia?

    Upshur County has a County Distress Index score of 53.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,357th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Upshur County?

    The primary driver of distress in Upshur County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 68.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Upshur County compare to neighboring counties?

    Upshur County (53.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Webster County, WV (70.5); Randolph County, WV (61.1); Lewis County, WV (57.9).

  • 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). Upshur County's score of 53.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Upshur 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 Upshur County?

    Upshur County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 23,529 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.