Population 495 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Birch River
Household size in Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.90 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Birch River average 2.58 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in West Virginia as a whole, where it has 2.43 people.
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 Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.2 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.3 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.7 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.9 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.9, Birch River is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 45.2 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 24.6% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.6% of households in Birch River, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Birch River
Renters in Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.2% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.2% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Birch River is largely a place of homeowners: only 19.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly six in ten owners (58.0%) have paid off their mortgages, 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 Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.8% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 27.9% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.2% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 19.2% of the housing in Birch River, 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.
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 Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Birch River is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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 Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $441 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $659 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $647 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $819 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$377 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Birch River costs $819 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 50.7% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Birch River
Bachelor's degrees in Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +23.1 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Birch River (27.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. West Virginia as a whole looks much the same.
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 Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.4% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.1% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 76.7% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +25.1 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Birch River is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.
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 Birch River
| Period | Birch River | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 0.6% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Birch River: 10.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above 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).
Birch River 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birch River | 2.58 | 46.9 | 4.6% | 19.2% | 19.2% | 1991 | $819 | 27.1% | 93.4% | 10.2% |
| Morris | 2.55 | 46.7 | 4.8% | 19.1% | 19.3% | 1992 | $822 | 27.5% | 94.2% | 10.2% |
| Dille | 2.59 | 43.6 | 14.2% | 23.2% | 23.4% | 1986 | $751 | 17.2% | 88.3% | 14.0% |
| Little Birch | 2.56 | 47.5 | 3.8% | 20.9% | 21.6% | 1982 | $679 | 13.2% | 84.1% | 16.2% |
| Erbacon | 2.67 | 51.4 | 3.3% | 14.9% | 16.8% | 1985 | $763 | 21.0% | 82.5% | 4.7% |
| Strange Creek | 2.53 | 52.9 | 6.2% | 10.9% | 13.0% | 1987 | $640 | 13.1% | 87.3% | 10.3% |
| Widen | 2.85 | 31.4 | 34.0% | 37.4% | 32.7% | 1977 | $669 | 12.8% | 84.7% | 21.6% |
| Hookersville | 2.49 | 45.7 | 6.3% | 16.6% | 18.1% | 1990 | $883 | 26.1% | 94.1% | 10.1% |
| Middle Run | 3.15 | 47.9 | 2.8% | 16.7% | 14.3% | 1986 | $602 | 12.6% | 84.9% | 24.2% |
| Tioga | 2.71 | 44.4 | 21.9% | 23.0% | 21.0% | 1986 | $781 | 24.5% | 93.5% | 7.8% |
| Werth | 2.39 | 44.6 | 8.2% | 14.0% | 16.4% | 1987 | $957 | 24.1% | 93.8% | 9.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Table Rock, NE · Harrisonville, NJ · Helm, CA · Hillside, CO · Huey, IL · Trace, WV · Idleyld Park, OR · Katesville, NC · Thicket, TX · Klossner, MN
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 Birch River. 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.
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