Jefferson County, West Virginia Demographics 2026

Name: Jefferson County, West Virginia Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Jefferson County, West Virginia has a population of 59,260, the 8th most populous county in West Virginia. The median household income is $98,806 and the median home value is $350,800. The poverty rate is 8.7%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Jefferson County Quick Facts

Population 59,260

Median Household Income $98,806

Median Home Value $350,800

Poverty Rate 8.7%

Unemployment Rate 3.9%

Median Age 41.0 years

Homeownership Rate 80.3%

Affordability Ratio 3.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 33.9%

High School Graduation 90.1%

Cities/Places 8

Population 59,260 8th of 55

Median Income $98,806 66% higher than state

Poverty Rate 8.7%

Unemployment 3.9%

How Jefferson County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	58,546	59,260	+1.2%
Median household income	$95,523	$98,806	+3.4%
Median home value	$324,500	$350,800	+8.1%

Median Household Income

Jefferson

$98,806

$59,608

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Jefferson

$350,800

$162,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.8%

$25K-$50K 13.0%

$50K-$100K 26.6%

$100K+ 49.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.0%

$10K-$15K

2.0%

$15K-$20K

2.3%

$20K-$25K

2.5%

$25K-$30K

4.0%

$30K-$35K

1.4%

$35K-$40K

2.3%

$40K-$45K

2.7%

$45K-$50K

2.6%

$50K-$60K

6.9%

$60K-$75K

8.3%

$75K-$100K

11.4%

$100K-$125K

11.1%

$125K-$150K

9.6%

$150K-$200K

13.8%

$200K+

15.0%

Employment

3.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.4%|National: 5.2%

64.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 80.3%

Renter 19.7%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,108/mo 13.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.1%

18-34

19.7%

35-54

27.2%

55-74

25.5%

75+

6.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 19 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Jefferson County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Charles Town	7,337	$89,263	6.5%	$377,700
Ranson	5,729	$89,523	12.0%	$242,700
Shannondale	3,465	$80,000	13.3%	$293,600
Shepherdstown	1,460	$63,750	6.2%	$485,200
Bolivar	1,215	$83,068	10.5%	$251,600
Shenandoah Junction	1,141	$94,821	8.2%	$192,900
Middleway	479	$123,917	4.8%	$298,800
Harpers Ferry	350	$116,587	2.3%	$529,100

Explore West Virginia Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Jefferson County is located in West Virginia with a total population of 59,260. It is the 8th most populous county out of 55 in West Virginia. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jefferson County is 41.0 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 42.7 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jefferson County is $98,806. This is 66% higher than the state median of $59,608. It is also 22% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.7%. This is 48% lower than the state poverty rate of 16.7%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 29% lower than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $350,800. Housing costs are 116% higher than the state median of $162,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 80.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Jefferson County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.8%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (5.6% vs 3.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (7.8% vs 2.1%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (1.4% vs 0.8%).

Education

33.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Jefferson County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 40% 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 90.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jefferson County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against West Virginia and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Jefferson County, West Virginia?

Jefferson County has a population of 59,260, making it the 8th most populous county in West Virginia.

What is the median income in Jefferson County?

The median household income in Jefferson County is $98,806 with a poverty rate of 8.7%.

How many cities are in Jefferson County, West Virginia?

Jefferson County contains 8 Census-designated places.