Marion County vs Mercer County
A side-by-side comparison of Marion County and Mercer County: population, income, housing, and more.
Marion 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 56,042 in Marion County). Marion County has the higher median household income ($67,537 vs $47,799 in Mercer County). Marion County has the higher median home value ($164,300 vs $118,600 in Mercer County).
Population, income & housing
| Marion County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,042 | 59,062 |
| Median age | 40.4 yrs | 43.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $67,537 | $47,799 |
| Median home value | $164,300 | $118,600 |
| Median gross rent | $901 | $813 |
| Housing units | 26,283 | 29,358 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.8% | 69.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 20.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Marion County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,355 → 56,042 (-0.6%) | 59,919 → 59,062 (-1.4%) |
| Median household income | $50,305 → $67,537 (+34.3%) | $40,784 → $47,799 (+17.2%) |
| Median home value | $116,800 → $164,300 (+40.7%) | $96,700 → $118,600 (+22.6%) |
| Median gross rent | $765 → $901 (+17.8%) | $672 → $813 (+21.0%) |
Marion County
56,35556,042
$50,305$67,537
$116,800$164,300
$765$901
Mercer County
59,91959,062
$40,784$47,799
$96,700$118,600
$672$813
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Marion County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.0% | 5.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.0% | 15.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.9% | 8.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.6% | 11.5% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.7% | 11.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.3% | 12.4% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.7% | 13.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| 75 and over | 7.9% | 9.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Marion County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 91.5% | 88.9% |
| Black or African American | 2.6% | 4.2% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Asian | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.6% | 1.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Marion County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.8% | 13.4% |
| High school graduate | 38.5% | 39.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 27.9% | 26.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 16.3% | 13.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 9.5% | 7.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Marion County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 75.7% | 82.7% |
| Carpooled | 10.5% | 6.8% |
| Public transit | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Walked | 2.8% | 2.2% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 9.3% | 6.4% |
| Other means | 1.3% | 1.4% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Marion County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 77.3% | 66.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.8% | 1.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.6% | 3.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 4.9% | 6.3% |
| 20 or more units | 1.9% | 2.2% |
| Mobile home & other | 7.5% | 20.2% |
Poverty & households
| Marion County | Mercer County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 18.0% |
| Average household size | 2.38 | 2.36 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1960 | 1974 |
Full profiles
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