Lewis County vs McDowell County
A side-by-side comparison of Lewis County and McDowell County: population, income, housing, and more.
Lewis County and McDowell County are counties in West Virginia. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
McDowell County has the higher population (18,413 vs 16,808 in Lewis County). Lewis County has the higher median household income ($52,279 vs $29,980 in McDowell County). Lewis County has the higher median home value ($135,800 vs $49,200 in McDowell County).
Population, income & housing
| Lewis County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,808 | 18,413 |
| Median age | 43.2 yrs | 43.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $52,279 | $29,980 |
| Median home value | $135,800 | $49,200 |
| Median gross rent | $737 | $686 |
| Housing units | 8,188 | 9,380 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 75.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.5% | 5.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.4% | 14.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Lewis County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,166 → 16,808 (+4.0%) | 18,661 → 18,413 (-1.3%) |
| Median household income | $39,908 → $52,279 (+31.0%) | $27,682 → $29,980 (+8.3%) |
| Median home value | $104,200 → $135,800 (+30.3%) | $35,000 → $49,200 (+40.6%) |
| Median gross rent | $648 → $737 (+13.7%) | $575 → $686 (+19.3%) |
Lewis County
16,16616,808
$39,908$52,279
$104,200$135,800
$648$737
McDowell County
18,66118,413
$27,682$29,980
$35,000$49,200
$575$686
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Lewis County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.2% | 4.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.6% | 14.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.9% | 6.2% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.0% | 13.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.3% | 13.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.1% | 12.6% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.1% | 14.3% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.7% | 14.0% |
| 75 and over | 8.2% | 7.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Lewis County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 91.2% | 86.7% |
| Black or African American | 0.3% | 9.0% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 6.2% | 2.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.5% | 1.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Lewis County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 11.6% | 24.1% |
| High school graduate | 47.1% | 52.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 23.8% | 17.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 11.5% | 4.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.0% | 1.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Lewis County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 78.7% | 80.3% |
| Carpooled | 7.6% | 12.1% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Bicycle | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 4.8% | 5.9% |
| Other means | 6.8% | 0.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Lewis County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 71.0% | 70.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.9% | 2.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.3% | 0.8% |
| 20 or more units | 4.2% | 1.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 19.7% | 23.7% |
Poverty & households
| Lewis County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 19.4% | 30.9% |
| Average household size | 2.39 | 2.51 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 30 | 35 |
| Median year structure built | 1977 | 1959 |
Full profiles
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