Berkeley County, West Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Berkeley County is located in West Virginia with a total population of 129,514. It is the 2nd most populous county out of 55 in West Virginia. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Berkeley County is 38.5 years. This is 10% lower than the state median of 42.7 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Berkeley County is $80,815. This is 36% higher than the state median of $59,608. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.1%. This is 34% lower than the state poverty rate of 16.7%. The unemployment rate is 4.7%. This is 13% lower than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $266,300. Housing costs are 64% higher than the state median of $162,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 76.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Berkeley County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 7.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (7.1% vs 3.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (6.4% vs 2.1%).

Education

25.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% higher than the state rate of 24.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Berkeley County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against West Virginia and 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.