McDowell County, West Virginia Demographics 2026

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

McDowell County, West Virginia has a population of 18,413, the 32nd most populous county in West Virginia. The median household income is $29,980 and the median home value is $49,200. The poverty rate is 30.9%.

McDowell County Quick Facts

Population 18,413

Median Household Income $29,980

Median Home Value $49,200

Poverty Rate 30.9%

Unemployment Rate 14.9%

Median Age 43.6 years

Homeownership Rate 75.7%

Affordability Ratio 1.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 5.8%

High School Graduation 75.9%

Cities/Places 19

Population 18,413 32nd of 55

Median Income $29,980 48% lower than state

Poverty Rate 30.9%

Unemployment 14.9%

Median Household Income

McDowell

$29,980

$57,917

National

$78,538

Median Home Value

McDowell

$49,200

$155,600

National

$303,400

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 42.2%

$25K-$50K 27.6%

$50K-$100K 21.4%

$100K+ 8.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

14.6%

$10K-$15K

11.9%

$15K-$20K

5.5%

$20K-$25K

10.2%

$25K-$30K

7.8%

$30K-$35K

6.3%

$35K-$40K

6.3%

$40K-$45K

4.7%

$45K-$50K

2.6%

$50K-$60K

5.6%

$60K-$75K

7.2%

$75K-$100K

8.6%

$100K-$125K

5.0%

$125K-$150K

1.4%

$150K-$200K

1.8%

$200K+

0.5%

Employment

14.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.7%|National: 5.2%

28.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.7%

Renter 24.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.6x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

18.6%

18-34

19.3%

35-54

26.3%

55-74

28.2%

75+

7.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

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

State average: 18 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in McDowell County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Welch	3,492	$36,188	26.8%	$56,500
Gary	858	$40,000	20.8%	$55,600
War	593	$20,852	39.0%	$28,800
Raysal	299	N/A	13.7%	$66,200
Davy	282	$31,389	19.9%	$25,800
Crumpler	279	N/A	57.4%	$83,900
Bradshaw	274	$21,808	15.0%	$54,800
Northfork	271	$47,143	52.0%	$35,800
Iaeger	260	$54,152	7.7%	$39,600
Berwind	228	$28,966	21.9%	N/A
Kimball	219	N/A	51.6%	$30,000
Anawalt	217	$26,375	48.4%	$22,100
Roderfield	126	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Vivian	92	N/A	100.0%	N/A
Maybeury	87	$33,690	19.5%	N/A
Cucumber	62	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Keystone	52	$21,313	57.7%	N/A
Bartley	23	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Big Sandy	14	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

McDowell County is located in West Virginia with a total population of 18,413. It is the 32nd most populous county out of 55 in West Virginia. The county encompasses 19 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in McDowell County is 43.6 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 42.7 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in McDowell County is $29,980. This is 48% lower than the state median of $57,917. It is also 62% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 30.9%. This is 86% higher than the state poverty rate of 16.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 14.9%. This is 160% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $49,200. Housing costs are 68% lower than the state median of $155,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, McDowell County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 74.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

McDowell County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.7% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 9.0%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (9.0% vs 3.2%). The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 0.8%.

Education

5.8% 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. This is 75% lower than the state rate of 23.3%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 75.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for McDowell County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), 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 McDowell County, West Virginia?

McDowell County has a population of 18,413, making it the 32nd most populous county in West Virginia.

What is the median income in McDowell County?

The median household income in McDowell County is $29,980 with a poverty rate of 30.9%.

How many cities are in McDowell County, West Virginia?

McDowell County contains 19 Census-designated places.