Population 176,537 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Kanawha County
Household size in Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.29 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Kanawha County is a place of small households, averaging 2.35 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south. Kanawha County has smaller households than the great majority of West Virginia counties.
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 Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.4 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.1 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.7 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.2 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.2, Kanawha County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. That is in line with the rest of West Virginia. The median age has climbed from 42.4 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Kanawha County as they are nationally: 11.4%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in West Virginia overall (10.4%). The single-parent share is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Kanawha County
Renters in Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.7% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.6% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.9% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.9% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Kanawha County rent their homes (28.9%), a little 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%). Just over half of owners (52.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Of West Virginia's 55 counties, only three have a higher share of renters.
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 Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.1% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Kanawha County: 16.1% 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 4.2 points, 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 Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Kanawha County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center. Kanawha County has older homes than the great majority of West Virginia counties.
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 Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $608 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $695 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $772 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $973 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$365 | +$327 | +$606 |
Rent in Kanawha County runs $973 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in West Virginia as a whole ($905). Rents are up $365 a month from 2006–10, a 60% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 30.9% of the typical renter's income, just over 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 Kanawha County
Bachelor's degrees in Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.8% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.4% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.6% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Kanawha County (30.8%) 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 overall (25.0%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.0 points, mirroring the country. Of West Virginia's 55 counties, only four have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.1% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.7% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.2% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.7% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Kanawha County have finished high school (91.7%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.6 points, in line with the national trend. Kanawha County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five West Virginia counties.
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 Kanawha County
| Period | Kanawha County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Kanawha County is close to the national rate: 5.6% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, as it has 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).
Kanawha County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County | 2.35 | 44.2 | 11.4% | 28.9% | 16.1% | 1967 | $973 | 30.8% | 91.7% | 5.6% |
| Putnam County | 2.48 | 42.0 | 7.9% | 18.2% | 7.9% | 1987 | $960 | 29.6% | 93.9% | 3.1% |
| Lincoln County | 2.64 | 44.8 | 10.9% | 25.5% | 19.8% | 1983 | $808 | 9.3% | 81.9% | 5.9% |
| Clay County | 2.62 | 43.5 | 13.5% | 24.0% | 24.2% | 1985 | $620 | 11.4% | 84.6% | 12.7% |
| Cabell County | 2.29 | 40.9 | 9.9% | 35.8% | 14.6% | 1970 | $964 | 33.4% | 90.7% | 5.5% |
| Wayne County | 2.48 | 44.5 | 10.8% | 21.4% | 14.8% | 1975 | $1,005 | 18.8% | 87.2% | 4.9% |
| Nicholas County | 2.55 | 46.0 | 10.2% | 17.8% | 23.2% | 1980 | $712 | 24.6% | 90.5% | 6.3% |
| Boyd County | 2.40 | 43.5 | 14.6% | 29.8% | 12.2% | 1972 | $844 | 20.2% | 90.1% | 6.4% |
| Webster County | 2.81 | 48.2 | 8.6% | 22.7% | 31.0% | 1975 | $703 | 12.5% | 82.2% | 8.6% |
| Carter County | 2.39 | 42.2 | 7.3% | 20.0% | 11.5% | 1985 | $713 | 15.5% | 83.8% | 5.7% |
| Pocahontas County | 2.38 | 49.0 | 6.6% | 16.4% | 43.7% | 1979 | $742 | 19.8% | 86.1% | 10.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Saginaw County, MI · Johnson County, TX · Bay County, FL · Winnebago County, WI · Washington County, UT · Vanderburgh County, IN · Ulster County, NY · Tippecanoe County, IN · Shasta County, CA · Scott County, IA
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 Kanawha County. 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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