Population 1,994 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Benwood: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Benwood
Household size in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.22 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.64 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Benwood are small: just 2.26 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.0 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.4 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.2 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.0 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.1 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.0, Benwood is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.0, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Benwood as they are nationally: 12.3%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in West Virginia as a whole (10.4%).
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Benwood
Renters in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.1% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.9% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.6% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.9% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Benwood own their homes; 30.9% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Even so, renters make up a bigger share here than in West Virginia as a whole (25.1%). Among homeowners, 59.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.7% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.1% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Benwood: 14.1% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. The picture is much the same across West Virginia.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1951 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Benwood is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1950, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $460 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $564 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $684 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $738 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$278 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Benwood costs $738 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 29.0% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Benwood
Bachelor's degrees in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.7% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.7% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Benwood: 14.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.6% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.0% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.9% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.9% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Benwood is close to the national rate: 87.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in West Virginia as a whole (89.4%).
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Benwood
| Period | Benwood | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Benwood has been strong: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Benwood compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benwood | 2.26 | 45.0 | 12.3% | 30.9% | 14.1% | 1950 | $738 | 14.7% | 87.9% | 3.0% |
| McMechen | 2.44 | 35.1 | 25.0% | 33.5% | 19.8% | 1942 | $611 | 12.6% | 91.6% | 6.5% |
| Bellaire | 2.22 | 46.0 | 13.1% | 30.4% | 16.4% | 1959 | $676 | 14.7% | 91.2% | 5.7% |
| Riverview | 2.21 | 56.0 | 5.3% | 1.6% | 10.0% | 1958 | $583 | 23.3% | 91.5% | 2.4% |
| Bethlehem | 2.34 | 44.7 | 4.9% | 12.2% | 8.5% | 1961 | $1,401 | 45.2% | 99.0% | 3.0% |
| Shadyside | 2.21 | 47.2 | 10.4% | 24.8% | 14.5% | 1959 | $785 | 22.5% | 96.7% | 2.3% |
| Glen Dale | 2.36 | 52.9 | 11.5% | 10.6% | 13.3% | 1967 | $924 | 31.0% | 98.3% | 3.0% |
| Wheeling | 2.18 | 44.2 | 12.1% | 35.1% | 14.6% | 1955 | $817 | 34.7% | 93.1% | 6.4% |
| Brookside | 2.26 | 44.6 | 10.4% | 9.7% | 11.2% | 1943 | $569 | 23.7% | 94.0% | 6.3% |
| Neffs | 1.94 | 54.7 | 5.3% | 3.8% | 11.2% | 1966 | $605 | 15.4% | 80.8% | 2.0% |
| Bridgeport | 2.22 | 42.3 | 11.5% | 29.1% | 17.2% | 1956 | $756 | 19.0% | 94.7% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Gila Bend, AZ · Newport, VA · Westcliffe, CO · Mount Hood-Parkdale, OR · Thompsonville, IL · Horton, KS · Shady Spring, WV · Troy, NH · Ubly, MI · Waterbury Center, VT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Benwood. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.