Kanawha County, West Virginia Demographics 2026
Kanawha County, West Virginia has a population of 176,537, the 1st most populous county in West Virginia. The median household income is $60,943 and the median home value is $147,300. The poverty rate is 15.8%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Kanawha County Quick Facts
How Kanawha 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 | 178,198 | 176,537 | -0.9% |
| Median household income | $58,887 | $60,943 | +3.5% |
| Median home value | $135,000 | $147,300 | +9.1% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
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 Kanawha County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 47,421 | $65,812 | 15.8% | $203,300 |
| South Charleston | 13,457 | $63,884 | 16.9% | $155,400 |
| St. Albans | 10,522 | $53,972 | 14.1% | $140,800 |
| Cross Lanes | 9,671 | $63,537 | 5.1% | $153,800 |
| Dunbar | 7,254 | $58,379 | 14.9% | $119,600 |
| Nitro | 6,853 | $53,848 | 20.2% | $128,900 |
| Pinch | 4,037 | $76,741 | 5.1% | $221,500 |
| Sissonville | 3,593 | $66,944 | 23.4% | $180,800 |
| Alum Creek | 1,749 | $74,231 | 11.0% | $159,300 |
| Chesapeake | 1,702 | $60,927 | 21.5% | $84,500 |
| Belle | 1,611 | $77,031 | 3.3% | $107,100 |
| Marmet | 1,524 | $52,115 | 13.6% | $95,100 |
| Montgomery | 1,516 | $27,679 | 28.3% | $133,000 |
| Coal Fork | 1,423 | $70,212 | 2.3% | $101,000 |
| Tornado | 1,114 | $83,000 | 8.8% | $174,800 |
| Rand | 1,064 | $61,047 | 8.6% | $89,900 |
| Clendenin | 903 | $69,583 | 7.9% | $116,300 |
| Glasgow | 878 | $53,750 | 22.0% | $99,100 |
| East Bank | 850 | $72,875 | 13.9% | $98,000 |
| Smithers | 712 | $45,417 | 25.7% | $76,500 |
| Elkview | 671 | $69,858 | 5.5% | $125,000 |
| Big Chimney | 610 | $43,403 | 32.1% | N/A |
| Chelyan | 564 | $34,175 | 62.6% | $103,500 |
| Jefferson | 534 | $39,861 | 54.7% | $73,800 |
| Institute | 521 | $42,315 | 20.6% | N/A |
| Dupont City | 501 | N/A | 19.6% | $190,900 |
| Cedar Grove | 489 | $44,952 | 18.4% | $90,700 |
| Pratt | 438 | $63,558 | 20.2% | $107,100 |
| West Dunbar | 425 | $27,500 | 46.6% | $84,700 |
| Handley | 418 | $105,150 | 3.8% | $51,500 |
| Eskdale | 326 | N/A | 30.1% | N/A |
| Malden | 320 | $50,774 | 0.0% | $159,600 |
| Shrewsbury | 310 | $48,818 | 0.0% | $85,300 |
| Hansford | 77 | $18,938 | 29.9% | $108,000 |
| Hollygrove | 74 | $42,857 | 0.0% | N/A |
Explore West Virginia Rankings
Population Overview
Kanawha County is located in West Virginia with a total population of 176,537. It is the 1st most populous county out of 55 in West Virginia. The county encompasses 35 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Kanawha County is 43.8 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 42.7 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Kanawha County is $60,943. This is 2% higher than the state median of $59,608. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.8%. This is 6% lower than the state poverty rate of 16.7%. The unemployment rate is 5.6%. This is 3% higher than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $147,300. Housing costs are 9% lower than the state median of $162,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Kanawha County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% lower than the state average of 74.9%.
Race & Ethnicity
Kanawha County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.9% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 4.8%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (4.8% vs 3.1%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (1.1% vs 0.8%).
Education
29.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Kanawha County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 23% 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 91.5%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Kanawha 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 Kanawha County, West Virginia?
Kanawha County has a population of 176,537, making it the 1st most populous county in West Virginia.
What is the median income in Kanawha County?
The median household income in Kanawha County is $60,943 with a poverty rate of 15.8%.
How many cities are in Kanawha County, West Virginia?
Kanawha County contains 35 Census-designated places.