Chelyan, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 564, Chelyan's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Chelyan is a small community located in West Virginia, within Kanawha County. The total population is 564. It ranks as the 211th most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chelyan is 24.9 years. This is 42% lower than the state median of 42.7 years. With 44.5% of the population under 18, Chelyan has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Chelyan is $34,175. This is 43% lower than the state median of $59,608. It is also 58% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 62.6%. This is 275% higher than the state poverty rate of 16.7%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 23.9%. This is 341% higher than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $103,500. Housing costs are 36% lower than the state median of $162,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 95.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 27% higher than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Chelyan is White (non-Hispanic), making up 82.8% of the population.

Education

26.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 11% higher than the state rate of 24.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 23.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Chelyan, West Virginia is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against West Virginia state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.