Jefferson County vs Mercer County
A side-by-side comparison of Jefferson County and Mercer County: population, income, housing, and more.
Jefferson County and Mercer County are counties in West Virginia. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Mercer County has the higher population (59,062 vs 58,546 in Jefferson County). Jefferson County has the higher median household income ($95,523 vs $47,799 in Mercer County). Jefferson County has the higher median home value ($324,500 vs $118,600 in Mercer County).
Population, income & housing
| Jefferson County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 58,546 | 59,062 |
| Median age | 41.0 yrs | 43.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $95,523 | $47,799 |
| Median home value | $324,500 | $118,600 |
| Median gross rent | $1,103 | $813 |
| Housing units | 24,276 | 29,358 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.2% | 69.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.7% | 20.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Jefferson County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,506 → 58,546 (+3.6%) | 59,919 → 59,062 (-1.4%) |
| Median household income | $80,430 → $95,523 (+18.8%) | $40,784 → $47,799 (+17.2%) |
| Median home value | $252,300 → $324,500 (+28.6%) | $96,700 → $118,600 (+22.6%) |
| Median gross rent | $998 → $1,103 (+10.5%) | $672 → $813 (+21.0%) |
Jefferson County
56,50658,546
$80,430$95,523
$252,300$324,500
$998$1,103
Mercer County
59,91959,062
$40,784$47,799
$96,700$118,600
$672$813
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Jefferson County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.0% | 5.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.5% | 15.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.4% | 8.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.1% | 11.5% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.6% | 11.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.8% | 12.4% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.7% | 13.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| 75 and over | 6.3% | 9.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Jefferson County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 80.4% | 88.9% |
| Black or African American | 5.3% | 4.2% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Asian | 1.4% | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.5% | 1.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Jefferson County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 10.0% | 13.4% |
| High school graduate | 28.5% | 39.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 27.8% | 26.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.1% | 13.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.7% | 7.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Jefferson County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 71.3% | 82.7% |
| Carpooled | 8.2% | 6.8% |
| Public transit | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Walked | 2.3% | 2.2% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 15.7% | 6.4% |
| Other means | 1.7% | 1.4% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Jefferson County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 78.6% | 66.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 6.9% | 1.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.8% | 3.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 4.4% | 6.3% |
| 20 or more units | 1.0% | 2.2% |
| Mobile home & other | 6.2% | 20.2% |
Poverty & households
| Jefferson County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 18.0% |
| Average household size | 2.61 | 2.36 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 37 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1990 | 1974 |
Full profiles
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