West Liberty, West Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

West Liberty is a small community located in West Virginia, within Ohio County. The total population is 1,481. It ranks as the 104th most populous out of 429 Census-designated places in West Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Liberty is 20.7 years. This is 52% lower than the state median of 42.7 years. Only 1.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in West Liberty is $43,750. This is 27% lower than the state median of $59,608. It is also 46% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 33.6%. This is 101% 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 7.1%. This is 30% higher than the state rate of 5.4%. The median home value is $151,900. Housing costs are 7% lower than the state median of $162,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.5x. 45.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 39% lower than the state average of 74.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

West Liberty has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.0% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 5.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (5.1% vs 3.1%). The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 0.8%.

Education

39.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places West Liberty in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 65% higher 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 91.9%. Notably, 15.7% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for West Liberty, 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.