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Boone County, West Virginia Demographics 2026

Boone County, West Virginia has a population of 21,312, the 29th most populous county in West Virginia. The median household income is $56,152 and the median home value is $90,300. The poverty rate is 17.3%.

Boone County Quick Facts

Population 21,312
Median Household Income $56,152
Median Home Value $90,300
Poverty Rate 17.3%
Unemployment Rate 8.8%
Median Age 45.0 years
Homeownership Rate 79.1%
Affordability Ratio 1.6x
Bachelor's Degree+ 11.9%
High School Graduation 84.8%
Cities/Places 9
Population 21,312 29th of 55
Median Income $56,152 3% lower than state
Poverty Rate 17.3%
Unemployment 8.8%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.5%
$25K-$50K 22.0%
$50K-$100K 30.8%
$100K+ 24.6%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
5.2%
$10K-$15K
8.4%
$15K-$20K
6.6%
$20K-$25K
2.4%
$25K-$30K
5.9%
$30K-$35K
4.0%
$35K-$40K
6.1%
$40K-$45K
3.2%
$45K-$50K
2.8%
$50K-$60K
8.3%
$60K-$75K
8.9%
$75K-$100K
13.6%
$100K-$125K
10.5%
$125K-$150K
6.0%
$150K-$200K
6.5%
$200K+
1.5%

Employment

8.8% Unemployment Rate State: 5.7%|National: 5.2%
44.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 79.1%
Renter 20.9%
Affordability Index Very Affordable
1.6x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

5out of 100
Very Low Diversity

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

State average: 18 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Boone County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Madison2,840$57,07313.9%$127,200
Danville634$30,00026.5%$77,100
Racine451$73,72413.5%$112,700
Greenview223$56,74244.0%$43,300
Comfort199N/A14.6%$83,600
Sylvester192$70,1561.6%$79,000
Whitesville168$67,50014.3%$90,300
Van129$63,86416.3%$70,000
Twilight103N/A37.9%N/A

Population Overview

Boone County is located in West Virginia with a total population of 21,312. It is the 29th most populous county out of 55 in West Virginia. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Boone County is 45.0 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 42.7 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Boone County is $56,152. This is 3% lower than the state median of $57,917. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 17.3%. This is 4% higher than the state poverty rate of 16.6%. The unemployment rate is 8.8%. This is 53% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $90,300. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $155,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Boone County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 74.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Boone County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 97.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.5%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 2.0%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 0.8%.

Education

11.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 23.3%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Boone County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Boone County, West Virginia?

Boone County has a population of 21,312, making it the 29th most populous county in West Virginia.

What is the median income in Boone County?

The median household income in Boone County is $56,152 with a poverty rate of 17.3%.

How many cities are in Boone County, West Virginia?

Boone County contains 9 Census-designated places.