Lincoln County vs McDowell County
A side-by-side comparison of Lincoln County and McDowell County: population, income, housing, and more.
Lincoln 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.
Lincoln County has the higher population (20,170 vs 18,413 in McDowell County). Lincoln County has the higher median household income ($48,593 vs $29,980 in McDowell County). Lincoln County has the higher median home value ($103,400 vs $49,200 in McDowell County).
Population, income & housing
| Lincoln County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,170 | 18,413 |
| Median age | 44.0 yrs | 43.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $48,593 | $29,980 |
| Median home value | $103,400 | $49,200 |
| Median gross rent | $727 | $686 |
| Housing units | 9,581 | 9,380 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 75.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.4% | 5.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% | 14.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Lincoln County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,850 → 20,170 (-3.3%) | 18,661 → 18,413 (-1.3%) |
| Median household income | $42,345 → $48,593 (+14.8%) | $27,682 → $29,980 (+8.3%) |
| Median home value | $84,200 → $103,400 (+22.8%) | $35,000 → $49,200 (+40.6%) |
| Median gross rent | $618 → $727 (+17.6%) | $575 → $686 (+19.3%) |
Lincoln County
20,85020,170
$42,345$48,593
$84,200$103,400
$618$727
McDowell County
18,66118,413
$27,682$29,980
$35,000$49,200
$575$686
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Lincoln County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.3% | 4.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.9% | 14.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.7% | 6.2% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.3% | 13.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.7% | 13.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.9% | 12.6% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.6% | 14.3% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.6% | 14.0% |
| 75 and over | 7.9% | 7.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Lincoln County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 96.4% | 86.7% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 9.0% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 2.4% | 2.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.7% | 1.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Lincoln County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 18.2% | 24.1% |
| High school graduate | 49.5% | 52.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 23.9% | 17.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 5.1% | 4.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 3.3% | 1.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Lincoln County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 82.1% | 80.3% |
| Carpooled | 6.2% | 12.1% |
| Public transit | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 2.8% | 1.1% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 8.6% | 5.9% |
| Other means | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Lincoln County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 58.9% | 70.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 0.9% | 2.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.2% | 0.8% |
| 20 or more units | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 34.2% | 23.7% |
Poverty & households
| Lincoln County | McDowell County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 30.9% |
| Average household size | 2.57 | 2.51 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 32 | 35 |
| Median year structure built | 1983 | 1959 |
Full profiles
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