Population 9,529 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dunbar
Household size in Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.19 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.09 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.11 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Dunbar is a place of small households, averaging 2.11 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.31 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 60 West Virginia cities with 5,000+ people, only two 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 Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.2 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.4 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.5 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Dunbar skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.2, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the west.
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 Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.8% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Dunbar (9.9%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. West Virginia as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Dunbar
Renters in Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.3% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.7% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.8% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.5% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Dunbar is about as common as it is nationally: 36.5% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in West Virginia as a whole (25.1%). Among homeowners, 53.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.4% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.0% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Dunbar than nationally: 12.7%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Even so, the rate is lower than in West Virginia overall (14.9%).
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 Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +6 |
Dunbar is a place of older homes: half were built before 1963, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1960 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $605 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $727 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $788 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $910 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$305 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Dunbar costs $910 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $305 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the northeast.
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 Dunbar
Bachelor's degrees in Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.6% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.0% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.3% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.0% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Dunbar than nationally: 29.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Even so, the share is higher than in West Virginia overall (25.0%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.3% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.5% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.5% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.1% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Dunbar is above the national rate: 94.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Dunbar
| Period | Dunbar | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Dunbar than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Dunbar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunbar | 2.11 | 42.5 | 9.9% | 36.5% | 12.7% | 1963 | $910 | 29.0% | 94.1% | 4.0% |
| Institute | 2.39 | 29.7 | 16.8% | 37.7% | 20.2% | 1984 | $785 | 30.5% | 92.3% | 5.1% |
| South Charleston | 2.15 | 46.7 | 11.5% | 28.9% | 14.5% | 1961 | $1,267 | 35.8% | 94.9% | 8.6% |
| Jefferson | 3.09 | 35.2 | 25.9% | 11.1% | 14.9% | 1959 | $1,339 | 4.3% | 82.4% | 1.2% |
| Cross Lanes | 2.16 | 43.2 | 8.7% | 26.0% | 14.9% | 1975 | $951 | 32.0% | 96.8% | 3.2% |
| St. Albans | 2.38 | 45.3 | 14.3% | 29.6% | 15.4% | 1963 | $1,041 | 21.7% | 91.6% | 5.6% |
| Charleston | 2.32 | 43.9 | 10.9% | 31.9% | 17.2% | 1966 | $1,006 | 39.6% | 92.4% | 5.9% |
| Nitro | 2.40 | 44.7 | 16.7% | 25.4% | 18.2% | 1958 | $1,021 | 21.4% | 91.7% | 6.2% |
| Upper Falls | 2.54 | 42.4 | 10.3% | 19.8% | 12.9% | 1976 | $828 | 27.2% | 89.5% | 2.4% |
| Tornado | 2.89 | 44.1 | 6.7% | 6.9% | 7.8% | 1980 | $879 | 23.6% | 91.6% | 4.8% |
| Loudendale | 2.87 | 38.6 | 11.8% | 12.5% | 10.2% | 1991 | $762 | 31.1% | 82.5% | 8.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Jersey Shore, PA · Jacinto City, TX · Jacksboro, TN · Jackson, KY · Jackson, WI · Jamestown, TN · Jasper, TX · Jeanerette, LA · Jefferson, LA · Ingleside, TX
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 Dunbar. 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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