Population 436 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Boomer
Household size in Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.27 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.97 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.31 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Boomer are small: just 1.97 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 dropped from 2.27 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.4 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.7 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 28.9 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 51.1 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.3 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Boomer skews older: half of its residents are older than 51.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.5% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.2% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Boomer than nationally: 9.2%, against 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 Boomer
Renters in Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.7% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.7% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.4% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.9% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Boomer own their homes; 25.9% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. That is in line with the rest of West Virginia. About eight in ten owners (79.4%) 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 Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.4% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.8% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +10.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Boomer: 28.8% 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.
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 Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1941 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1948 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Boomer is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1948, 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 Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $526 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $657 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $727 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $658 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$132 | +$327 | +$606 |
Rent in Boomer runs $658 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 44.1% 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 Boomer
Bachelor's degrees in Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Boomer: 19.7% 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 Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.1% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.2% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.3% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.9% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Boomer is a bit above the national rate: 90.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of West Virginia.
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 Boomer
| Period | Boomer | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.8% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Boomer than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 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).
Boomer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boomer | 1.97 | 51.1 | 9.2% | 25.9% | 28.8% | 1948 | $658 | 19.7% | 90.9% | 3.5% |
| Mount Carbon | 2.19 | 51.9 | 14.1% | 48.4% | 12.9% | 1969 | $699 | 26.9% | 91.9% | 3.3% |
| Smithers | 1.86 | 52.4 | 9.2% | 24.7% | 28.8% | 1949 | $588 | 20.1% | 91.3% | 0.6% |
| Alloy | 2.41 | 46.8 | 9.4% | 32.0% | 27.7% | 1943 | $921 | 17.6% | 89.0% | 14.4% |
| Deep Water | 2.80 | 56.1 | 21.6% | 0.6% | 40.8% | 1952 | $691 | 4.4% | 84.0% | 31.1% |
| Falls View | 2.41 | 46.8 | 9.4% | 32.0% | 27.7% | 1943 | $921 | 17.6% | 89.0% | 14.4% |
| Kimberly | 2.33 | 46.2 | 12.9% | 22.2% | 19.7% | 1960 | $694 | 11.3% | 84.1% | 1.2% |
| Montgomery | 2.29 | 44.3 | 21.8% | 52.8% | 18.6% | 1969 | $677 | 27.1% | 88.9% | 8.0% |
| Cannelton | 2.24 | 51.7 | 10.2% | 26.0% | 16.6% | 1961 | $713 | 10.2% | 85.9% | 4.0% |
| Charlton Heights | 2.47 | 48.2 | 11.1% | 27.7% | 29.6% | 1944 | $892 | 16.0% | 88.4% | 17.1% |
| Glen Ferris | 2.41 | 46.8 | 9.4% | 32.0% | 27.7% | 1943 | $921 | 17.6% | 89.0% | 14.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Estral Beach, MI · Santa, ID · San Simon, AZ · San Simeon, CA · San Ardo, CA · Salsbury Cove, ME · Rockhouse, AR · Elderon, WI · Elkwood, VA · Ellisboro, NC
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 Boomer. 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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