Wetzel County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.5 | 13,890 people · 47th most distressed in West Virginia
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Wetzel County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.5 — 2164th 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 47th of 55 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wetzel County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.2 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.2
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Consumer Credit Distress 45.5
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Uninsured Rate 8
Subprime Credit Population 62
Economic Vitality 32.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 19.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 24
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 6
Homeownership Rate 9
Legal Distress 17.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wetzel County
Wetzel County, WV 40.5 Normal —
Marshall County, WV 52.8 Elevated +12.4
Monongalia County, WV 49.5 Normal +9.0
Marion County, WV 49.4 Normal +8.9
Greene County, PA 49.3 Normal +8.8
Harrison County, WV 46.9 Normal +6.4
Doddridge County, WV 43.5 Normal +3.0
Monroe County, OH 41.3 Normal +0.8
Tyler County, WV 37.6 Normal -2.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wetzel County
Plumas County, CA 40.4 Normal -0.0
Yancey County, NC 40.5 Normal +0.1
Itasca County, MN 40.4 Normal -0.1
Nodaway County, MO 40.4 Normal -0.1
Shenandoah County, VA 40.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wetzel 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 Wetzel 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 Wetzel County, West Virginia?

    Wetzel County has a County Distress Index score of 40.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,164th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wetzel County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wetzel County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wetzel County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wetzel County (40.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Marshall County, WV (52.8); 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). Wetzel County's score of 40.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Wetzel 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 Wetzel County?

    Wetzel County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 13,890 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.