Population 32,032 · 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 Fairmont: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Fairmont
Household size in Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Fairmont is a place of small households, averaging 2.31 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.37, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.8 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.2 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.0 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.4 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
At 39.4, the median age in Fairmont is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is younger than in West Virginia as a whole, where the median age is 43.2. The median age has crept up from 38.8 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Only four of the 60 West Virginia cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
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 Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Fairmont than nationally: 8.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.3 points since 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 Fairmont
Renters in Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.4% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.0% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.0% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.2% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Fairmont rent their homes (28.2%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Still, renters make up a bigger share here than in West Virginia as a whole (25.1%). Among homeowners, 46.4% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast.
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 Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.7% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Fairmont than nationally: 11.6%, 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 as a whole (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 Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Fairmont is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1964, 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 southeast, 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 Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $618 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $705 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $861 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $978 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$360 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Fairmont costs $978 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in West Virginia overall ($905). Rent has climbed $360 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Fairmont
Bachelor's degrees in Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.0% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.6% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.8% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.3% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Fairmont (33.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is higher than in West Virginia as a whole (25.0%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.2 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 Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.4% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.1% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.7% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Fairmont is above the national rate: 93.7% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.3 points, 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 Fairmont
| Period | Fairmont | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.7%, unemployment in Fairmont is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. 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).
Fairmont 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairmont | 2.31 | 39.4 | 8.7% | 28.2% | 11.6% | 1964 | $978 | 33.3% | 93.7% | 5.7% |
| Pleasant Valley | 2.28 | 40.4 | 11.4% | 27.4% | 6.6% | 1969 | $1,102 | 31.3% | 94.0% | 3.1% |
| Barrackville | 2.59 | 38.6 | 5.6% | 4.3% | 13.6% | 1963 | $786 | 38.0% | 95.4% | 2.5% |
| Monongah | 2.30 | 44.5 | 8.1% | 21.3% | 9.4% | 1966 | $1,005 | 30.6% | 91.7% | 8.4% |
| Montana Mines | 2.52 | 41.7 | 8.9% | 18.2% | 6.1% | 1996 | $956 | 25.6% | 96.5% | 0.4% |
| Powell | 2.43 | 38.9 | 3.1% | 4.5% | 4.7% | 1975 | $1,303 | 28.3% | 96.7% | 0.9% |
| White Hall | 2.36 | 45.2 | 5.4% | 27.6% | 9.9% | 1989 | $993 | 32.6% | 98.1% | 7.9% |
| Baxter | 2.47 | 35.8 | 18.6% | 21.8% | 17.3% | 1960 | $846 | 13.8% | 87.7% | 19.1% |
| Mount Harmony | 2.55 | 44.6 | 7.8% | 4.5% | 9.6% | 1986 | $1,153 | 39.9% | 98.3% | 2.3% |
| Rivesville | 2.47 | 40.2 | 12.4% | 16.9% | 13.3% | 1970 | $863 | 19.5% | 91.8% | 7.5% |
| Catawba | 2.47 | 44.0 | 14.6% | 4.8% | 6.5% | 1981 | $1,013 | 20.1% | 97.7% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Stafford, TX · Cave Creek, AZ · Chillum, MD · Christiansburg, VA · Cornelius, NC · Coventry, RI · Cumberland, MD · Fitchburg, WI · Shenandoah, FL · Shepherdsville, KY
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 Fairmont. 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.