Garten, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 107, Garten'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

Garten is a small community located in West Virginia, within Fayette County. The total population is 107. It ranks as the 383rd most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Garten is 24.8 years. This is 42% lower than the state median of 42.7 years. Only 14.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Garten is $18,346. This is 69% lower than the state median of $59,608. It is also 77% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.6%. This is 23% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Garten, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $55,400. Housing costs are 66% lower than the state median of $162,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 49.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 34% lower than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Garten is White (non-Hispanic), making up 68.2% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 31.8%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (31.8% vs 3.1%).

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 53.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Garten, 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.