McDowell County, West Virginia

20 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 18,413
Median household income: $29,980
Median home value: $49,200

Home to 18,413 residents, McDowell County is one of West Virginia's counties. 20 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $29,980 is below the West Virginia median ($57,917).

Between 2019 and 2023, McDowell County's population declined 1.3% from 18,661 to 18,413, while its median household income rose 8.3% from $27,682 to $29,980.

5.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 75.7% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 18,413
Median age: 43.6 yrs
Median household income: $29,980
Median home value: $49,200
Median gross rent: $686
Housing units: 9,380
Homeownership rate: 75.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 5.7%
Unemployment rate: 14.9%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

18,66118,413

Median household income

$27,682$29,980

Median home value

$35,000$49,200

Median gross rent

$575$686

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	18,661	$27,682	$35,000	$575
2020	18,083	$26,072	$39,500	$594
2021	19,334	$30,127	$43,700	$627
2022	18,911	$28,235	$47,500	$601
2023	18,413	$29,980	$49,200	$686

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

Age distribution

Under 54.2%

5 to 1714.3%

18 to 246.2%

25 to 3413.1%

35 to 4413.6%

45 to 5412.6%

55 to 6414.3%

65 to 7414.0%

75 and over7.7%

	Count	Share
Under 5	780	4.2%
5 to 17	2,638	14.3%
18 to 24	1,148	6.2%
25 to 34	2,404	13.1%
35 to 44	2,510	13.6%
45 to 54	2,323	12.6%
55 to 64	2,626	14.3%
65 to 74	2,569	14.0%
75 and over	1,415	7.7%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	15,971	86.7%
Black or African American	1,660	9.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	31	0.2%
Asian	19	0.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	5	0.0%
Two or more races	370	2.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	357	1.9%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma24.1%

High school graduate52.7%

Some college or associate's17.4%

Bachelor's degree4.3%

Graduate or professional degree1.5%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	3,337	24.1%
High school graduate	7,299	52.7%
Some college or associate's	2,415	17.4%
Bachelor's degree	594	4.3%
Graduate or professional degree	202	1.5%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 35 min

Drove alone80.3%

Carpooled12.1%

Public transit0.1%

Walked1.1%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home5.9%

Other means0.5%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	2,925	80.3%
Carpooled	441	12.1%
Public transit	5	0.1%
Walked	40	1.1%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	214	5.9%
Other means	19	0.5%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	1,010	29.4%
15 to 29 min	507	14.8%
30 to 44 min	609	17.8%
45 to 59 min	550	16.0%
60+ min	754	22.0%

Households

Average household size: 2.51
Poverty rate: 30.9% (5,054 of 16,335)

	Count	Share
Family households	4,024	62.1%
Nonfamily households	2,460	37.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1959

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	6,484	69.1%
Vacant	2,896	30.9%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	4,906	75.7%
Renter-occupied	1,578	24.3%

1-unit, detached70.3%

1-unit, attached1.7%

2 to 4 units2.4%

5 to 19 units0.8%

20 or more units1.1%

Mobile home & other23.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	6,596	70.3%
1-unit, attached	157	1.7%
2 to 4 units	229	2.4%
5 to 19 units	73	0.8%
20 or more units	101	1.1%
Mobile home & other	2,224	23.7%

Geography

County GEOID: 54047
State: West Virginia
Land area: 533 sq mi
Water area: 1.44 sq mi
Center point: 37.3828, -81.6582