Rock Cave, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 276, Rock Cave'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

Rock Cave is a small community located in West Virginia, within Upshur County. The total population is 276. It ranks as the 304th most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rock Cave is 65.3 years. This is 53% higher than the state median of 42.7 years. Only 5.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rock Cave is $52,202. This is 12% lower than the state median of $59,608. It is also 35% lower than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Rock Cave. 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Rock Cave, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $241,700. Housing costs are 49% higher than the state median of $162,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.6x. 92.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 23% higher than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Rock Cave has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (8.0% vs 2.1%).

Education

20.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% 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 96.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Rock Cave, 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.