Population 16,279 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bluefield
Household size in Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Bluefield are small: just 2.35 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 has climbed from 2.24 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.6 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.8 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.2 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.2, Bluefield 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 43.7, mirroring the country.
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 Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Bluefield (9.9%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. West Virginia as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Bluefield
Renters in Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.6% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.5% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.1% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.9% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly a third of households in Bluefield rent their homes (31.9%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in West Virginia overall (25.1%). About six in ten owners (61.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.7% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 18.7% of the housing in Bluefield, 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. Vacancy is up 3.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Bluefield is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1958 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $545 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $586 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $673 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $903 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$358 | +$327 | +$606 |
Rent in Bluefield runs $903 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $358 a month from 2006–10, a 66% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 26.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the center.
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 Bluefield
Bachelor's degrees in Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.6% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.9% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.1% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.4% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Bluefield: 23.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.8 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the center.
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 Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.6% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.6% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.4% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Bluefield never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.7 points, mirroring the country. Bluefield has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five West Virginia cities.
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 Bluefield
| Period | Bluefield | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Bluefield than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Bluefield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefield | 2.35 | 45.2 | 9.9% | 31.9% | 18.7% | 1963 | $903 | 23.4% | 87.4% | 4.4% |
| Brush Fork | 2.51 | 46.6 | 4.7% | 25.2% | 23.1% | 1981 | $922 | 14.5% | 84.8% | 2.8% |
| Maple View | 2.09 | 45.5 | 8.4% | 37.4% | 19.6% | 1975 | $856 | 31.3% | 82.1% | 4.9% |
| Bluestone | 2.24 | 59.2 | 4.7% | 14.4% | 22.1% | 1977 | $743 | 16.6% | 78.7% | 8.1% |
| Clear Fork | 2.12 | 60.9 | 3.5% | 12.0% | 23.4% | 1980 | $824 | 19.3% | 91.8% | 3.8% |
| Sandlick | 2.46 | 52.1 | 1.8% | 17.8% | 23.0% | 1979 | $639 | 15.7% | 85.5% | 5.0% |
| Falls Mills | 2.07 | 49.9 | 16.0% | 34.1% | 23.5% | 1960 | $637 | 9.1% | 86.1% | 9.7% |
| Nemours | 2.51 | 47.6 | 2.1% | 19.2% | 28.8% | 1969 | $876 | 10.8% | 87.1% | 0.2% |
| Bluefield | 2.26 | 45.5 | 11.3% | 30.7% | 11.6% | 1966 | $869 | 23.5% | 89.4% | 3.5% |
| Montcalm | 2.55 | 51.1 | 1.5% | 18.1% | 25.7% | 1977 | $620 | 14.6% | 85.8% | 5.0% |
| Freeman | 1.93 | 67.3 | 2.8% | 35.3% | 19.0% | 1958 | $672 | 12.3% | 64.8% | 9.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Safety Harbor, FL · DeSoto, MO · Dillsburg, PA · Dover, OH · Scott, LA · Dunellen, NJ · East Aurora, NY · East Highland Park, VA · Sayville, NY · Sauk Rapids, 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 Bluefield. 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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