Population 25,043 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mason County
Household size in Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Mason County is a place of small households, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. West Virginia as a whole looks much the same. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.3 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.4 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.0 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.2 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.2, Mason County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 42.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the northwest.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.0% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.3 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Mason County: 6.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 6.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Mason County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of West Virginia counties.
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 Mason County
Renters in Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.0% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.2% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 18.2% of households in Mason County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 63.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 3.7 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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Mason County: 15.4% 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. The picture is much the same across West Virginia.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Mason County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $469 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $523 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $631 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $793 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$324 | +$327 | +$606 |
Rent in Mason County runs $793 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $324 a month from 2006–10, a 69% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 27.8% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Mason County
Bachelor's degrees in Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Mason County: 16.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.9% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.9% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.2% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.1% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Mason County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 8.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.9 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mason County runs below the national rate: 4.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.9 points, 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).
Mason 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County | 2.40 | 45.2 | 6.7% | 18.2% | 15.4% | 1979 | $793 | 16.2% | 87.1% | 4.0% |
| Gallia County | 2.49 | 41.7 | 10.6% | 25.3% | 14.3% | 1982 | $833 | 21.0% | 87.4% | 3.7% |
| Jackson County | 2.40 | 42.8 | 7.7% | 21.4% | 10.5% | 1980 | $798 | 19.8% | 89.0% | 5.2% |
| Roane County | 2.48 | 47.0 | 7.5% | 21.1% | 21.1% | 1975 | $623 | 15.0% | 84.5% | 8.8% |
| Scioto County | 2.45 | 41.1 | 11.6% | 31.6% | 13.2% | 1970 | $835 | 18.3% | 88.7% | 6.1% |
| Calhoun County | 2.40 | 49.2 | 7.6% | 12.9% | 18.5% | 1976 | $460 | 9.4% | 83.1% | 7.9% |
| Gilmer County | 2.38 | 42.2 | 12.4% | 24.4% | 43.1% | 1974 | $750 | 18.5% | 86.0% | 8.5% |
| Adams County | 2.70 | 43.0 | 11.2% | 28.3% | 18.8% | 1981 | $784 | 14.9% | 85.2% | 6.6% |
| Upshur County | 2.34 | 43.3 | 11.6% | 19.3% | 14.5% | 1977 | $875 | 18.3% | 88.2% | 5.8% |
| Brown County | 2.56 | 43.0 | 11.7% | 22.8% | 11.7% | 1981 | $820 | 15.5% | 87.4% | 5.0% |
| Bracken County | 2.51 | 42.2 | 12.5% | 21.5% | 12.5% | 1984 | $822 | 17.8% | 88.8% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Otsego County, MI · Mercer County, IL · Mercer County, KY · Meriwether County, GA · Moniteau County, MO · Monroe County, AL · Monroe County, IL · Orleans County, VT · Orocovis Municipio, PR · Osage County, KS
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 Mason 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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