Coal City, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 724, Coal City'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

Coal City is a small community located in West Virginia, within Raleigh County. The total population is 724. It ranks as the 180th most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Coal City is 59.3 years. This is 39% higher than the state median of 42.7 years. 26.1% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Coal City is $20,491. This is 66% lower than the state median of $59,608. It is also 75% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 23.8%. This is 42% 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 22.6%. This is 316% higher than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $9,999. Housing costs are 94% lower than the state median of $162,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 0.5x, Coal City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 82.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Coal City was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

0.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Coal City, 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.