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West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, West Virginia had a total population of 1,778,373, with a median household income of $59,608, which is 26% lower than the national average. The poverty rate is 16.7%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

West Virginia Quick Facts

Population 1,778,373
Median Household Income $59,608
Median Home Value $162,600
Poverty Rate 16.7%
Unemployment Rate 5.4%
Median Age 42.7 years
Homeownership Rate 74.9%
Affordability Ratio 2.7x
Bachelor's Degree+ 24.1%
High School Graduation 89.3%
Counties 55
Cities/Places 429
Population 1,778,373
Median Income $59,608 26% lower than national
Poverty Rate 16.7%
Unemployment 5.4%

How West Virginia Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population1,784,4621,778,373-0.3%
Median household income$57,917$59,608+2.9%
Median home value$155,600$162,600+4.5%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.1%
$25K-$50K 21.6%
$50K-$100K 30.0%
$100K+ 27.3%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
6.2%
$10K-$15K
5.5%
$15K-$20K
4.5%
$20K-$25K
4.9%
$25K-$30K
4.7%
$30K-$35K
4.5%
$35K-$40K
4.3%
$40K-$45K
4.2%
$45K-$50K
3.9%
$50K-$60K
7.5%
$60K-$75K
9.8%
$75K-$100K
12.7%
$100K-$125K
8.9%
$125K-$150K
6.2%
$150K-$200K
6.3%
$200K+
5.9%

Employment

5.4% Unemployment Rate National: 5.2%
53.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.9%
Renter 25.1%
Affordability Index Very Affordable
2.7x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $872/mo 17.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

19out of 100
Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 19 | National average: 61

Education

Largest Cities in West Virginia

#CityPopulationMedian IncomePoverty
1Charleston47,421$65,81215.8%
2Huntington45,787$45,10025.7%
3Morgantown30,236$44,72730.4%
4Parkersburg29,240$49,02522.5%
5Wheeling26,350$48,59020.5%
6Martinsburg18,904$59,55519.8%
7Weirton18,647$59,57512.6%
8Fairmont18,221$63,03217.4%
9Beckley16,818$45,82628.9%
10Clarksburg15,549$47,38623.5%

Richest Cities in West Virginia

#CityMedian IncomeHome ValueBachelor's+
1Cheat Lake$117,014$367,60061.8%
2Teays Valley$108,741$278,00046.7%
3Winfield$103,276$257,10037.8%
4Mallory$101,546$106,30032.7%
5Bridgeport$100,022$291,60053.4%
6Shenandoah Junction$94,821$192,9008.6%
7Cassville$90,478$253,00041.9%
8Ranson$89,523$242,70018.9%
9Charles Town$89,263$377,70036.1%
10Williamstown$89,013$182,50044.3%

Most Affordable Cities in West Virginia

By home-value-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable). Min. population 1,000.

#CityRatioHome ValueIncome
1Mallory1.0x$106,300$101,546
2Mullens1.3x$78,600$61,563
3Brush Fork1.3x$90,000$70,098
4Chesapeake1.4x$84,500$60,927
5Belle1.4x$107,100$77,031
6Coal Fork1.4x$101,000$70,212
7Gilbert Creek1.4x$119,400$82,632
8Newell1.5x$88,100$60,278
9Rand1.5x$89,900$61,047
10Hamlin1.6x$95,500$61,429

Explore West Virginia Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

All Counties in West Virginia (55)

55 results
Kanawha County176,537$60,94315.8%$147,300
Berkeley County129,514$80,81511.1%$266,300
Monongalia County107,163$65,34619.7%$267,700
Cabell County92,739$55,83219.2%$164,400
Wood County83,407$57,81014.8%$158,500
Raleigh County73,195$52,15022.8%$150,900
Harrison County64,984$60,37714.4%$166,200
Jefferson County59,260$98,8068.7%$350,800
Mercer County58,563$53,21016.5%$121,700
Putnam County57,177$79,52710.6%$223,300
Marion County55,909$67,37013.6%$166,700
Ohio County41,582$57,09417.7%$166,000
Fayette County39,519$53,19419.2%$105,800
Wayne County38,164$58,87814.6%$127,100
Preston County34,160$61,88013.8%$162,800
Greenbrier County32,386$48,21821.8%$149,000
Logan County31,418$49,72321.8%$103,400
Marshall County29,865$59,16916.8%$149,800
Hancock County28,431$61,46614.5%$130,800
Jackson County27,705$58,84518.4%$157,200
Randolph County27,576$52,75715.9%$144,800
Mineral County26,854$69,37514.0%$180,400
Mason County25,043$49,76119.4%$120,300
Nicholas County24,277$54,63915.4%$121,600
Upshur County23,712$54,33819.2%$170,800
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All Cities & Places in West Virginia (429)

429 results
Charleston47,421$65,81215.8%$203,300
Huntington45,787$45,10025.7%$127,200
Morgantown30,236$44,72730.4%$259,400
Parkersburg29,240$49,02522.5%$121,600
Wheeling26,350$48,59020.5%$146,500
Martinsburg18,904$59,55519.8%$240,000
Weirton18,647$59,57512.6%$133,500
Fairmont18,221$63,03217.4%$163,800
Beckley16,818$45,82628.9%$158,000
Clarksburg15,549$47,38623.5%$129,900
Teays Valley14,151$108,7415.1%$278,000
South Charleston13,457$63,88416.9%$155,400
Cheat Lake10,902$117,0146.5%$367,600
St. Albans10,522$53,97214.1%$140,800
Vienna10,518$60,38810.2%$154,300
Cross Lanes9,671$63,5375.1%$153,800
Bluefield9,387$49,37518.5%$105,400
Bridgeport9,252$100,0223.9%$291,600
Oak Hill7,937$52,46621.7%$118,700
Moundsville7,869$49,04822.5%$118,600
Charles Town7,337$89,2636.5%$377,700
Dunbar7,254$58,37914.9%$119,600
Pea Ridge6,988$65,8119.8%$188,500
Hurricane6,855$71,1678.5%$210,500
Nitro6,853$53,84820.2%$128,900
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Download West Virginia Data

Free CSV downloads of West Virginia demographic data — no account or payment required. Files use official Census place names (e.g. "Springfield city", "Oakdale CDP"), so they match Census Bureau sources exactly.

📊
Cities Data (CSV) All cities: population, income, housing, race, education
📋
Counties Data (CSV) All counties: population, income, housing, race, education

Population Overview

West Virginia has a total population of 1,778,373, making it a smaller state in the nation. The median age is 42.7 years, 10% higher than the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Virginia is 42.7 years. This is 10% higher than the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in West Virginia is $59,608. This is 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.7%. This is 34% higher than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 5.4%. This is 4% higher than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $162,600. Housing costs are 51% lower than the national median of $332,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, West Virginia is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

West Virginia has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.7% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 3.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the national average (89.7% vs 57.4%). The Black or African American population (3.1%) is well below the national average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.1%) is well below the national average of 19.3%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the national average of 5.9%.

Education

24.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% lower than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for West Virginia come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of West Virginia?

West Virginia has a total population of 1,778,373 according to the U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median income in West Virginia?

The median household income in West Virginia is $59,608, which is 26% lower than the national median of $80,734.

How many cities are in West Virginia?

West Virginia has 429 Census-designated places (cities, towns, and CDPs) and 55 counties.

What is the poverty rate in West Virginia?

The poverty rate in West Virginia is 16.7%, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

What is the largest city in West Virginia?

The largest city in West Virginia is Charleston with a population of 47,421.