Population 640 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Gay
Household size in Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.88 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.79 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.62 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Gay is a place of small households, averaging 2.26 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 2.88 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.3 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.5 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.9 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.6 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Gay skews older: half of its residents are older than 50.9, 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 Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.7% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.7% of households in Gay, well below the national share of 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 Gay
Renters in Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Gay is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 62.1% have no mortgage at all, 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 Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.6% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.7% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 29.0% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.7 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 13.9% of the housing in Gay, 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. West Virginia as a whole looks much the same.
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 Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Gay is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1987, against 1980 nationally.
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 Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $537 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $390 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $622 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $681 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$144 | +$327 | +$606 |
Rent in Gay runs $681 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 18.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably 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 Gay
Bachelor's degrees in Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.1% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.7% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | −12.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Gay have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 8.8%, against 35.6% nationally.
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 Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.8% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 67.8% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.5% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.9% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.1 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Gay have finished high school as nationally: 88.9%, against 89.3%.
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 Gay
| Period | Gay | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.6% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Gay runs well above the national rate: 10.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. 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).
Gay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gay | 2.26 | 50.9 | 2.7% | 12.8% | 13.9% | 1987 | $681 | 8.8% | 88.9% | 10.6% |
| Skidmore | 2.29 | 46.4 | 4.3% | 13.6% | 9.8% | 1992 | $621 | 15.5% | 88.1% | 5.9% |
| Plum Orchard | 2.69 | 38.9 | 4.3% | 12.0% | 10.8% | 1993 | $667 | 8.8% | 85.9% | 8.6% |
| Marshall | 2.31 | 50.4 | 1.9% | 10.1% | 12.7% | 1988 | $701 | 10.4% | 87.6% | 8.8% |
| Hereford | 2.16 | 51.1 | 3.8% | 23.6% | 12.4% | 1983 | $624 | 10.9% | 88.0% | 9.1% |
| Advent | 2.18 | 47.2 | 7.9% | 37.3% | 17.0% | 1979 | $541 | 17.0% | 87.3% | 5.4% |
| Peniel | 2.58 | 46.6 | 2.6% | 10.2% | 24.6% | 1989 | $615 | 19.1% | 80.0% | 1.4% |
| Salt Hill | 2.21 | 44.0 | 8.1% | 29.3% | 14.9% | 1987 | $538 | 22.5% | 87.4% | 2.3% |
| Gandeeville | 2.28 | 50.7 | 7.0% | 27.8% | 32.7% | 1979 | $575 | 10.4% | 88.6% | 10.9% |
| Fletcher | 3.07 | 30.3 | 5.8% | 13.1% | 14.2% | 1994 | $714 | 5.9% | 83.9% | 9.6% |
| Reedyville | 2.48 | 45.6 | 5.5% | 20.4% | 25.7% | 1979 | $647 | 25.2% | 90.5% | 0.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Drayden, MD · Umpire, AR · Tyson, AL · Twin Rivers, NJ · Tucson, OH · Troy, ME · Town Line, NY · Fairburn, WI · Eva, TN · Ebenezer, 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 Gay. 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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