Jefferson County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Healthy · 29.2 | 59,787 people · 55th most distressed in West Virginia
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Jefferson County, WV ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 29.2 — 2911th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within West Virginia, it ranks 55th of 55 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Jefferson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 41.1 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 41.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 63
Homeownership Rate 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Employment & Wages 37.8
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 35
Debt & Delinquency 32.5
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 40
Student Loan Delinquency 22
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 34
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Community Vulnerability 26.5
Uninsured Rate 30
Disability Rate 23
Income & Poverty 8.2
Poverty Rate 13
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, WV 29.2 Healthy —
Washington County, MD 53.5 Elevated +24.3
Berkeley County, WV 44.6 Normal +15.4
Clarke County, VA 33.0 Healthy +3.8
Frederick County, VA 32.7 Healthy +3.5
Loudoun County, VA 22.8 Healthy -6.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Jefferson County
Hendricks County, IN 29.1 Healthy -0.1
Clinton County, MI 29.1 Healthy -0.1
Butler County, PA 29.4 Healthy +0.2
Fauquier County, VA 28.9 Healthy -0.3
Washington County, VT 28.9 Healthy -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, West Virginia?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 29.2 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,911th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 41.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (29.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Washington County, MD (53.5); Berkeley County, WV (44.6); 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 59,787 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.