West Virginia
Population, income, and housing across 55 counties and 439 cities & places.
- Population
- 1,784,462
- Median household income
- $57,917
- Median home value
- $155,600
-1.8%’19–’23
+24.0%’19–’23
+30.1%’19–’23
West Virginia has a population of 1,784,462, spread across 55 counties and 439 cities and places.
From 2019 to 2023, West Virginia's population declined 1.8% from 1,817,305 to 1,784,462, while its median home value rose 30.1% from $119,600 to $155,600.
Households average 2.40 people. The median gross rent is $850.
Demographics
ACS 2019–2023- Population
- 1,784,462
- Median age
- 42.7 yrs
- Median household income
- $57,917
- Median home value
- $155,600
- Median gross rent
- $850
- Housing units
- 859,653
- Homeownership rate
- 74.3%
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 23.3%
- Unemployment rate
- 5.7%
Trends
ACS 5-year · 2019–20231,817,3051,784,462
$46,711$57,917
$119,600$155,600
$725$850
| Year | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Median gross rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1,817,305 | $46,711 | $119,600 | $725 |
| 2020 | 1,807,426 | $48,037 | $123,200 | $732 |
| 2021 | 1,801,049 | $50,884 | $128,800 | $770 |
| 2022 | 1,792,967 | $55,217 | $145,800 | $831 |
| 2023 | 1,784,462 | $57,917 | $155,600 | $850 |
Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.
Age distribution
Under 55.0%
5 to 1715.1%
18 to 248.7%
25 to 3411.9%
35 to 4412.0%
45 to 5412.7%
55 to 6413.8%
65 to 7412.5%
75 and over8.2%
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 89,308 | 5.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 270,103 | 15.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 155,849 | 8.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 212,299 | 11.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 214,753 | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 226,039 | 12.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 247,122 | 13.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 222,667 | 12.5% |
| 75 and over | 146,322 | 8.2% |
Race & ethnicity
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,609,499 | 90.2% |
| Black or African American | 57,299 | 3.2% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 1,154 | 0.1% |
| Asian | 13,328 | 0.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 493 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 5,060 | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 61,504 | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 36,125 | 2.0% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
No high school diploma11.4%
High school graduate39.5%
Some college or associate's25.8%
Bachelor's degree13.9%
Graduate or professional degree9.4%
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 144,554 | 11.4% |
| High school graduate | 501,118 | 39.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 327,989 | 25.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 175,886 | 13.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 119,655 | 9.4% |
Commute to work
- Mean travel time to work
- 27 min
Drove alone79.0%
Carpooled8.5%
Public transit0.6%
Walked2.6%
Bicycle0.1%
Worked from home8.0%
Other means1.2%
How workers get to work
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 575,846 | 79.0% |
| Carpooled | 61,712 | 8.5% |
| Public transit | 4,372 | 0.6% |
| Walked | 18,688 | 2.6% |
| Bicycle | 962 | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 58,070 | 8.0% |
| Other means | 8,855 | 1.2% |
Travel time
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 191,656 | 28.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 243,254 | 36.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 119,464 | 17.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 50,828 | 7.6% |
| 60+ min | 65,233 | 9.7% |
Households
- Average household size
- 2.40
- Poverty rate
- 16.6% (287,660 of 1,728,580)
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Family households | 452,362 | 62.7% |
| Nonfamily households | 269,086 | 37.3% |
Housing
- Median year structure built
- 1976
Occupancy
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Occupied | 721,448 | 83.9% |
| Vacant | 138,205 | 16.1% |
Tenure (of occupied units)
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-occupied | 536,082 | 74.3% |
| Renter-occupied | 185,366 | 25.7% |
1-unit, detached70.8%
1-unit, attached2.5%
2 to 4 units5.0%
5 to 19 units4.9%
20 or more units3.0%
Mobile home & other13.9%
Units in structure
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 608,242 | 70.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 21,681 | 2.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 42,898 | 5.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 41,705 | 4.9% |
| 20 or more units | 25,590 | 3.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 119,537 | 13.9% |
Geography
- State FIPS
- 54
- USPS
- WV
- Land area
- 24,041 sq mi
- Water area
- 189 sq mi
- Center point
- 38.6473, -80.6183
West Virginia rankings
21- Largest by population — counties & cities
- Most densely populated — counties & cities
- Highest median household income — counties & cities
- Highest median home value — counties & cities
- Most affordable home values — counties & cities
- Highest median gross rent — counties & cities
- Cheapest median gross rent — counties & cities
- Oldest by median age — counties & cities
- Youngest by median age — counties & cities
- Most college-educated — counties & cities
- Highest poverty rate — counties & cities
- Lowest poverty rate — counties & cities
- Highest homeownership rate — counties & cities
- Lowest homeownership rate — counties & cities
- Longest commutes — counties & cities
- Shortest commutes — counties & cities
- Largest households — counties & cities
- Newest housing — counties & cities
- Oldest housing — counties & cities
- Fastest-growing (2019–2023) — counties & cities
- Fastest-shrinking (2019–2023) — counties & cities
National rankings
21- Largest by population
- Most densely populated
- Highest median household income
- Highest median home value
- Most affordable home values
- Highest median gross rent
- Cheapest median gross rent
- Oldest by median age
- Youngest by median age
- Most college-educated
- Highest poverty rate
- Lowest poverty rate
- Highest homeownership rate
- Lowest homeownership rate
- Longest commutes
- Shortest commutes
- Largest households
- Newest housing
- Oldest housing
- Fastest-growing (2019–2023)
- Fastest-shrinking (2019–2023)
Counties
55- Barbour County
- Berkeley County
- Boone County
- Braxton County
- Brooke County
- Cabell County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Doddridge County
- Fayette County
- Gilmer County
- Grant County
- Greenbrier County
- Hampshire County
- Hancock County
- Hardy County
- Harrison County
- Jackson County
- Jefferson County
- Kanawha County
- Lewis County
- Lincoln County
- Logan County
- Marion County
- Marshall County
- Mason County
- McDowell County
- Mercer County
- Mineral County
- Mingo County
- Monongalia County
- Monroe County
- Morgan County
- Nicholas County
- Ohio County
- Pendleton County
- Pleasants County
- Pocahontas County
- Preston County
- Putnam County
- Raleigh County
- Randolph County
- Ritchie County
- Roane County
- Summers County
- Taylor County
- Tucker County
- Tyler County
- Upshur County
- Wayne County
- Webster County
- Wetzel County
- Wirt County
- Wood County
- Wyoming County
Largest cities by land area
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