Malden, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 320, Malden'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

Malden is a small community located in West Virginia, within Kanawha County. The total population is 320. It ranks as the 284th most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Malden is 70.4 years. This is 65% higher than the state median of 42.7 years. Only 5.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 29.1% 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 Malden is $50,774. This is 15% lower than the state median of $59,608. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Malden. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The unemployment rate is 30.8%. This is 468% higher than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $159,600. Housing costs are 2% lower than the state median of $162,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 95.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 27% higher than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Malden is White (non-Hispanic), making up 74.1% of the population.

Education

7.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 69% 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 86.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Malden, 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.