Wayne County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.0 | 37,686 people · 14th most distressed in West Virginia
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Wayne County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.0 — 885th 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 14th of 55 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wayne County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 73.8 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 73.8
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 29
Subprime Credit Population 70
Structural Poverty 73.4
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 67
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 69
Legal Distress 50.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51
Housing Cost Burden 39.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 19
Homeownership Rate 33
Economic Vitality 38.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 94
House Price Change (YoY) 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Wayne County, WV 61.0 Elevated —
Cabell County, WV 68.2 Serious +7.1
Martin County, KY 68.1 Serious +7.0
Mingo County, WV 67.1 Serious +6.1
Boyd County, KY 65.8 Serious +4.8
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious +4.7
Lawrence County, OH 64.9 Elevated +3.9
Lincoln County, WV 63.5 Elevated +2.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Beckham County, OK 61.0 Elevated +0.0
Jackson County, TN 61.0 Elevated -0.0
Brown County, OH 61.0 Elevated +0.0
Texas County, MO 61.0 Elevated +0.0
Grant Parish, LA 61.1 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wayne 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County, West Virginia?

    Wayne County has a County Distress Index score of 61.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 885th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wayne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wayne County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 73.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Wayne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wayne County (61.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Cabell County, WV (68.2); Martin County, KY (68.1); Mingo County, WV (67.1).

  • 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). Wayne County's score of 61.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Wayne 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 Wayne County?

    Wayne County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 37,686 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.