Population 9,668 · 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 Cross Lanes: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Cross Lanes
Household size in Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.16 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Cross Lanes are small: just 2.16 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. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.35, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 60 West Virginia cities with 5,000+ people, only five have smaller households.
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 Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.3 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.9 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.2 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.9 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Cross Lanes skews older than the country: its median age is 43.2, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.3, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Cross Lanes (8.7%), below the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other West Virginia cities, Cross Lanes has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
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 Cross Lanes
Renters in Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.6% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.2% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.0% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.0% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Cross Lanes rent their homes (26.0%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 39.4% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the west. The renter share is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.9% of the housing in Cross Lanes, 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 has risen 4.7 points since 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 Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Cross Lanes run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. That is in line with the rest of West Virginia.
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 Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $631 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $752 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $852 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $951 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$319 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cross Lanes costs $951 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in West Virginia as a whole ($905). Rents are up $319 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 33.5% 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 Cross Lanes
Bachelor's degrees in Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.8% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.7% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 32.0% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly a third of adults 25 and older in Cross Lanes (32.0%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is higher than in West Virginia as a whole (25.0%). The share with a degree is up 3.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.1% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.6% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.8% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Cross Lanes: 96.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 60 West Virginia cities with 5,000+ people, only three have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Cross Lanes
| Period | Cross Lanes | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Cross Lanes has been strong: just 3.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.9 points, 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).
Cross Lanes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Lanes | 2.16 | 43.2 | 8.7% | 26.0% | 14.9% | 1975 | $951 | 32.0% | 96.8% | 3.2% |
| Poca | 2.53 | 39.1 | 18.2% | 25.1% | 10.5% | 1983 | $760 | 12.9% | 91.5% | 6.2% |
| Nitro | 2.40 | 44.7 | 16.7% | 25.4% | 18.2% | 1958 | $1,021 | 21.4% | 91.7% | 6.2% |
| Institute | 2.39 | 29.7 | 16.8% | 37.7% | 20.2% | 1984 | $785 | 30.5% | 92.3% | 5.1% |
| Raymond City | 2.07 | 36.2 | 3.5% | 14.4% | 6.1% | 1990 | $1,134 | 33.4% | 86.2% | 0.5% |
| St. Albans | 2.38 | 45.3 | 14.3% | 29.6% | 15.4% | 1963 | $1,041 | 21.7% | 91.6% | 5.6% |
| Dunbar | 2.11 | 42.5 | 9.9% | 36.5% | 12.7% | 1963 | $910 | 29.0% | 94.1% | 4.0% |
| Jefferson | 3.09 | 35.2 | 25.9% | 11.1% | 14.9% | 1959 | $1,339 | 4.3% | 82.4% | 1.2% |
| Bancroft | 2.56 | 33.1 | 3.4% | 17.3% | 10.0% | 1975 | $905 | 23.7% | 89.3% | 2.0% |
| Upper Falls | 2.54 | 42.4 | 10.3% | 19.8% | 12.9% | 1976 | $828 | 27.2% | 89.5% | 2.4% |
| South Charleston | 2.15 | 46.7 | 11.5% | 28.9% | 14.5% | 1961 | $1,267 | 35.8% | 94.9% | 8.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Berlin, NH · Box Elder, SD · Boonville, MO · Bonne Terre, MO · Wilkesboro, NC · Big Bear City, CA · Beverly, NJ · Willowbrook, IL · Woodstock, VA · Bethel, OH
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 Cross Lanes. 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.