Raleigh County, West Virginia Demographics 2026

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

Raleigh County, West Virginia has a population of 73,195, the 6th most populous county in West Virginia. The median household income is $52,150 and the median home value is $150,900. The poverty rate is 22.8%.

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

Raleigh County Quick Facts

Population 73,195

Median Household Income $52,150

Median Home Value $150,900

Poverty Rate 22.8%

Unemployment Rate 5.0%

Median Age 42.9 years

Homeownership Rate 75.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 22.5%

High School Graduation 85.9%

Cities/Places 23

Population 73,195 6th of 55

Median Income $52,150 13% lower than state

Poverty Rate 22.8%

Unemployment 5.0%

How Raleigh 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	73,666	73,195	-0.6%
Median household income	$52,055	$52,150	+0.2%
Median home value	$142,600	$150,900	+5.8%

Median Household Income

Raleigh

$52,150

$59,608

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Raleigh

$150,900

$162,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 26.8%

$25K-$50K 22.0%

$50K-$100K 28.5%

$100K+ 22.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

12.1%

$10K-$15K

4.3%

$15K-$20K

4.9%

$20K-$25K

5.5%

$25K-$30K

4.9%

$30K-$35K

3.9%

$35K-$40K

5.7%

$40K-$45K

4.5%

$45K-$50K

3.0%

$50K-$60K

7.6%

$60K-$75K

8.6%

$75K-$100K

12.3%

$100K-$125K

7.4%

$125K-$150K

6.5%

$150K-$200K

5.2%

$200K+

3.7%

Employment

5.0% Unemployment Rate State: 5.4%|National: 5.2%

48.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.3%

Renter 24.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $902/mo 20.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.0%

18-34

19.5%

35-54

25.2%

55-74

25.7%

75+

8.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very 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 Raleigh County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Beckley	16,818	$45,826	28.9%	$158,000
Shady Spring	3,381	$67,407	13.8%	$188,900
Sophia	1,528	$36,080	38.0%	$116,900
MacArthur	1,493	$35,650	36.4%	$160,800
Daniels	1,489	$60,278	24.2%	$171,300
Stanaford	1,449	$44,219	44.5%	$162,800
Bradley	1,424	$43,641	11.8%	$84,700
Mabscott	1,396	$57,813	16.7%	$159,700
Prosperity	1,389	$85,094	11.4%	$141,200
Crab Orchard	1,139	$43,792	16.6%	$168,200
Piney View	986	$66,422	1.5%	$98,800
Sprague	952	$64,875	3.8%	$87,400
Coal City	724	$20,491	23.8%	$9,999
Beaver	695	$30,870	14.5%	$105,200
Lester	377	N/A	41.4%	$89,400
Raleigh	325	$47,788	0.3%	$46,000
Ghent	290	$109,692	0.0%	N/A
Colcord	201	N/A	71.1%	N/A
Bolt	195	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Glen White	193	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Rhodell	137	N/A	44.5%	N/A
Dorothy	115	N/A	12.2%	N/A
Eccles	64	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

Raleigh County is located in West Virginia with a total population of 73,195. It is the 6th most populous county out of 55 in West Virginia. The county encompasses 23 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Raleigh County is 42.9 years. This is about the same as the state median of 42.7 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Raleigh County is $52,150. This is 13% lower than the state median of $59,608. It is also 35% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.8%. This is 37% 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 unemployment rate is 5.0%. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $150,900. Housing costs are 7% lower than the state median of $162,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Raleigh County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

Raleigh County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.9% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 6.7%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (6.7% vs 3.1%).

Education

22.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 7% 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 85.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Raleigh 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 Raleigh County, West Virginia?

Raleigh County has a population of 73,195, making it the 6th most populous county in West Virginia.

What is the median income in Raleigh County?

The median household income in Raleigh County is $52,150 with a poverty rate of 22.8%.

How many cities are in Raleigh County, West Virginia?

Raleigh County contains 23 Census-designated places.