Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 350, Harpers Ferry'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

Harpers Ferry is a small community located in West Virginia, within Jefferson County. The total population is 350. It ranks as the 275th most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Harpers Ferry is 57.5 years. This is 35% higher than the state median of 42.7 years. Only 12.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.7% 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 Harpers Ferry is $116,587. This is 96% higher than the state median of $59,608. It is also 44% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.3%. This is 86% lower than the state poverty rate of 16.7%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 1.5%. This is 72% lower than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $529,100. Housing costs are 225% higher than the state median of $162,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.5x. 80.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Harpers Ferry has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.3% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.1%. The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 3.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 2.1%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (1.1% vs 0.8%).

Education

61.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Harpers Ferry in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 154% 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 95.3%. Notably, 41.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Harpers Ferry, 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.