Kanawha County vs Wood County
A side-by-side comparison of Kanawha County and Wood County: population, income, housing, and more.
Kanawha County and Wood County are counties in West Virginia. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Kanawha County has the higher population (178,198 vs 83,829 in Wood County). Kanawha County has the higher median household income ($58,887 vs $56,193 in Wood County). Wood County has the higher median home value ($153,700 vs $135,000 in Kanawha County).
Population, income & housing
| Kanawha County | Wood County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 178,198 | 83,829 |
| Median age | 43.7 yrs | 43.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $58,887 | $56,193 |
| Median home value | $135,000 | $153,700 |
| Median gross rent | $879 | $789 |
| Housing units | 90,388 | 40,296 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.2% | 74.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 22.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 5.6% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Kanawha County | Wood County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 183,279 → 178,198 (-2.8%) | 84,960 → 83,829 (-1.3%) |
| Median household income | $46,639 → $58,887 (+26.3%) | $47,321 → $56,193 (+18.7%) |
| Median home value | $112,500 → $135,000 (+20.0%) | $124,200 → $153,700 (+23.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $747 → $879 (+17.7%) | $713 → $789 (+10.7%) |
Kanawha County
183,279178,198
$46,639$58,887
$112,500$135,000
$747$879
Wood County
84,96083,829
$47,321$56,193
$124,200$153,700
$713$789
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Kanawha County | Wood County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.0% | 5.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.0% | 15.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.5% | 7.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.3% | 11.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.0% | 11.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 13.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.1% | 14.3% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 75 and over | 8.6% | 8.9% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Kanawha County | Wood County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.2% | 94.0% |
| Black or African American | 6.1% | 1.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 4.6% | 2.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.5% | 1.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Kanawha County | Wood County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 9.3% | 9.5% |
| High school graduate | 36.2% | 35.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 25.3% | 32.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 17.2% | 14.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.1% | 8.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Kanawha County | Wood County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 77.9% | 79.5% |
| Carpooled | 8.0% | 8.2% |
| Public transit | 1.7% | 0.7% |
| Walked | 2.8% | 2.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Worked from home | 8.3% | 8.6% |
| Other means | 1.1% | 0.8% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Kanawha County | Wood County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 69.2% | 75.2% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.2% | 0.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.7% | 7.7% |
| 5 to 19 units | 5.7% | 5.5% |
| 20 or more units | 5.2% | 3.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 10.1% | 7.6% |
Poverty & households
| Kanawha County | Wood County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 14.8% |
| Average household size | 2.28 | 2.32 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 22 | 20 |
| Median year structure built | 1966 | 1969 |
Full profiles
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