Hartford City, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 557, Hartford 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

Hartford City is a small community located in West Virginia, within Mason County. The total population is 557. It ranks as the 213th most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hartford City is 56.0 years. This is 31% higher than the state median of 42.7 years. 10.1% 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 Hartford City is $51,635. This is 13% lower than the state median of $59,608. It is also 36% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.3%. This is 9% lower than the state poverty rate of 16.7%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Hartford City, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $82,000. Housing costs are 50% lower than the state median of $162,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Hartford City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 87.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Hartford City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 98.6% of all residents.

Education

4.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 81% lower 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 77.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Hartford 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.