Berkeley County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.6 | 132,440 people · 46th most distressed in West Virginia
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Berkeley County, WV falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.6 — 2027th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within West Virginia, it ranks 46th of 55 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Berkeley County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 64.6 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 64.6
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 70
Student Loan Delinquency 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 54.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Employment & Wages 51.3
Unemployment Rate 52
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 47
Community Vulnerability 31.6
Uninsured Rate 31
Disability Rate 32
Income & Poverty 21.1
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 27

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Berkeley County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Berkeley County
Berkeley County, WV 44.6 Normal —
Washington County, MD 53.5 Elevated +8.9
Morgan County, WV 35.8 Normal -8.8
Clarke County, VA 33.0 Healthy -11.6
Frederick County, VA 32.7 Healthy -11.9
Jefferson County, WV 29.2 Healthy -15.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Berkeley County
Skagit County, WA 44.6 Normal 0.0
Elko County, NV 44.6 Normal -0.0
Blount County, TN 44.6 Normal -0.0
Rankin County, MS 44.5 Normal -0.1
Wayne County, NY 44.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Berkeley County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Berkeley County.

TELAMON CORPORATION - MARTINSBURG BRANCH
Martinsburg
304-263-0916 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

See all counselors in West Virginia →

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 Berkeley 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in West Virginia →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Berkeley County, West Virginia?

    Berkeley County has a County Distress Index score of 44.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,027th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Berkeley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Berkeley County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 64.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Berkeley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Berkeley County (44.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Washington County, MD (53.5); Morgan County, WV (35.8); Clarke County, VA (33.0).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Berkeley County?

    Berkeley County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 132,440 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.