Keystone, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 39, Keystone'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

Keystone is a small community located in West Virginia, within McDowell County. The total population is 39. It ranks as the 415th most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Keystone is 45.1 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 42.7 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Keystone is $21,618. This is 64% lower than the state median of $59,608. It is also 73% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 56.4%. This is 238% 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 Keystone, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $31,100. Housing costs are 81% lower than the state median of $162,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.4x, Keystone is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 56.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% lower than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Keystone is White (non-Hispanic), making up 61.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 25.6%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (25.6% 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 96.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Keystone, 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.