Kanawha County, West Virginia

32 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 178,198
Median household income: $58,887
Median home value: $135,000

Home to 178,198 residents, Kanawha County is one of West Virginia's counties. 32 cities and places have their primary county here. At $58,887, its median household income sits in line with West Virginia's $57,917.

From 2019 to 2023, Kanawha County's population declined 2.8% from 183,279 to 178,198, while its median household income rose 26.3% from $46,639 to $58,887.

The largest age group is 5 to 17, 15.0% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 86.2% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 178,198
Median age: 43.7 yrs
Median household income: $58,887
Median home value: $135,000
Median gross rent: $879
Housing units: 90,388
Homeownership rate: 70.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 29.3%
Unemployment rate: 5.5%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

183,279178,198

Median household income

$46,639$58,887

Median home value

$112,500$135,000

Median gross rent

$747$879

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	183,279	$46,639	$112,500	$747
2020	181,014	$47,122	$115,300	$749
2021	181,953	$50,574	$118,200	$798
2022	179,895	$55,226	$131,200	$868
2023	178,198	$58,887	$135,000	$879

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.0%

5 to 1715.0%

18 to 247.5%

25 to 3412.3%

35 to 4412.0%

45 to 5412.4%

55 to 6414.1%

65 to 7413.1%

75 and over8.6%

	Count	Share
Under 5	8,834	5.0%
5 to 17	26,773	15.0%
18 to 24	13,369	7.5%
25 to 34	21,973	12.3%
35 to 44	21,347	12.0%
45 to 54	22,121	12.4%
55 to 64	25,188	14.1%
65 to 74	23,286	13.1%
75 and over	15,307	8.6%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	153,684	86.2%
Black or African American	10,931	6.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	91	0.1%
Asian	2,139	1.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	178	0.1%
Some other race	376	0.2%
Two or more races	8,131	4.6%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,668	1.5%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma9.3%

High school graduate36.2%

Some college or associate's25.3%

Bachelor's degree17.2%

Graduate or professional degree12.1%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	11,958	9.3%
High school graduate	46,765	36.2%
Some college or associate's	32,670	25.3%
Bachelor's degree	22,205	17.2%
Graduate or professional degree	15,624	12.1%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 22 min

Drove alone77.9%

Carpooled8.0%

Public transit1.7%

Walked2.8%

Bicycle0.1%

Worked from home8.3%

Other means1.1%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	59,328	77.9%
Carpooled	6,064	8.0%
Public transit	1,318	1.7%
Walked	2,167	2.8%
Bicycle	83	0.1%
Worked from home	6,342	8.3%
Other means	843	1.1%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	21,693	31.1%
15 to 29 min	31,241	44.8%
30 to 44 min	10,446	15.0%
45 to 59 min	2,978	4.3%
60+ min	3,445	4.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.28
Poverty rate: 16.1% (28,216 of 175,075)

	Count	Share
Family households	45,584	59.3%
Nonfamily households	31,222	40.7%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1966

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	76,806	85.0%
Vacant	13,582	15.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	53,893	70.2%
Renter-occupied	22,913	29.8%

1-unit, detached69.2%

1-unit, attached2.2%

2 to 4 units7.7%

5 to 19 units5.7%

20 or more units5.2%

Mobile home & other10.1%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	62,529	69.2%
1-unit, attached	2,009	2.2%
2 to 4 units	6,947	7.7%
5 to 19 units	5,136	5.7%
20 or more units	4,675	5.2%
Mobile home & other	9,092	10.1%

Geography

County GEOID: 54039
State: West Virginia
Land area: 902 sq mi
Water area: 9.29 sq mi
Center point: 38.3281, -81.5235