Preston County vs Wayne County
A side-by-side comparison of Preston County and Wayne County: population, income, housing, and more.
Preston County and Wayne County are counties in West Virginia. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Wayne County has the higher population (38,498 vs 34,204 in Preston County). Preston County has the higher median household income ($61,373 vs $55,539 in Wayne County). Preston County has the higher median home value ($157,700 vs $124,900 in Wayne County).
Population, income & housing
| Preston County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,204 | 38,498 |
| Median age | 43.2 yrs | 44.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $61,373 | $55,539 |
| Median home value | $157,700 | $124,900 |
| Median gross rent | $753 | $883 |
| Housing units | 15,215 | 18,238 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.6% | 77.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 17.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 5.4% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Preston County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,683 → 34,204 (+1.5%) | 40,303 → 38,498 (-4.5%) |
| Median household income | $51,888 → $61,373 (+18.3%) | $37,988 → $55,539 (+46.2%) |
| Median home value | $115,300 → $157,700 (+36.8%) | $99,100 → $124,900 (+26.0%) |
| Median gross rent | $666 → $753 (+13.1%) | $662 → $883 (+33.4%) |
Preston County
33,68334,204
$51,888$61,373
$115,300$157,700
$666$753
Wayne County
40,30338,498
$37,988$55,539
$99,100$124,900
$662$883
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Preston County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.6% | 5.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.3% | 15.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.6% | 7.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.6% | 11.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.8% | 11.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.4% | 13.5% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.7% | 14.2% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.4% | 12.7% |
| 75 and over | 7.6% | 9.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Preston County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 89.3% | 95.9% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% | 0.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 1.8% | 2.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.9% | 0.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Preston County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 14.2% | 14.7% |
| High school graduate | 45.7% | 37.6% |
| Some college or associate's | 22.2% | 30.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 11.6% | 10.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.2% | 7.7% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Preston County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 75.8% | 80.2% |
| Carpooled | 14.9% | 8.2% |
| Public transit | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Walked | 1.7% | 5.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 7.2% | 3.9% |
| Other means | 0.3% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Preston County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 74.9% | 72.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| 2 to 4 units | 3.1% | 3.5% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.5% | 2.3% |
| 20 or more units | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Mobile home & other | 16.5% | 19.9% |
Poverty & households
| Preston County | Wayne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 15.7% |
| Average household size | 2.39 | 2.46 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 31 | 25 |
| Median year structure built | 1982 | 1975 |
Full profiles
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