Wirt County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.1 | 5,000 people · 50th most distressed in West Virginia
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Wirt County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.1 — 2305th 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 50th 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. Wirt County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 72.3 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 72.3
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 77
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Economic Vitality 56.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 28
Consumer Credit Distress 40.0
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 24
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 61
Housing Cost Burden 16.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 5
Legal Distress 6.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wirt County
Wirt County, WV 38.1 Normal —
Calhoun County, WV 54.8 Elevated +16.7
Wood County, WV 51.5 Elevated +13.4
Roane County, WV 48.3 Normal +10.2
Jackson County, WV 48.1 Normal +10.0
Ritchie County, WV 41.3 Normal +3.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wirt County
Jefferson County, NE 38.1 Normal -0.0
Keokuk County, IA 38.0 Normal -0.1
Hancock County, KY 38.3 Normal +0.1
Hot Springs County, WY 38.0 Normal -0.2
Thomas County, KS 38.3 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wirt 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 Wirt 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 Wirt County, West Virginia?

    Wirt County has a County Distress Index score of 38.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,305th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wirt County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wirt County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 72.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wirt County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wirt County (38.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, WV (54.8); Wood County, WV (51.5); Roane County, WV (48.3).

  • 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). Wirt County's score of 38.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Wirt 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 Wirt County?

    Wirt County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 5,000 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.