Population 58,563 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mercer County
Household size in Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Mercer County run small, averaging 2.41 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The picture is much the same across West Virginia. Households are largest in the north and smallest 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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.5 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.9 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.5 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.4 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Mercer County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has crept up from 42.5 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the center.
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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Mercer County (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. West Virginia as a whole looks much the same.
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 Mercer County
Renters in Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.1% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.1% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.5% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Mercer County rent their homes (27.1%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Just over six in ten owners (62.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Among West Virginia's 55 counties, though, only five 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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Mercer County: 17.4% 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 1.7 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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Mercer County run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1973 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $524 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $602 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $658 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $824 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$300 | +$327 | +$606 |
Rent in Mercer County runs $824 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $300 a month from 2006–10, a 57% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.3% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the north.
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 Mercer County
Bachelor's degrees in Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.7% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Mercer County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.7%, against 35.6% nationally. West Virginia as a whole looks much the same. The share with a degree has risen 5.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.3% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.2% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.2% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.2% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.9 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Mercer County is close to the national rate: 89.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 9.9 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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Mercer County has been strong: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Few West Virginia counties have lower unemployment: only two of 55. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.0 points, as it has nationally.
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).
Mercer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 2.41 | 42.8 | 9.8% | 27.1% | 17.4% | 1973 | $824 | 22.7% | 89.2% | 2.6% |
| Giles County | 2.49 | 44.9 | 5.5% | 21.1% | 19.0% | 1971 | $799 | 18.5% | 91.4% | 2.0% |
| McDowell County | 2.46 | 42.6 | 11.2% | 22.7% | 30.3% | 1957 | $642 | 6.5% | 75.7% | 6.5% |
| Buchanan County | 2.58 | 48.6 | 12.6% | 16.9% | 26.0% | 1979 | $748 | 11.1% | 78.9% | 3.7% |
| Craig County | 2.89 | 47.8 | 4.3% | 16.3% | 27.2% | 1981 | $706 | 19.6% | 86.6% | 2.4% |
| Salem City | 2.30 | 41.5 | 11.9% | 37.2% | 8.4% | 1967 | $1,235 | 33.7% | 93.7% | 3.3% |
| Roanoke County | 2.42 | 44.1 | 10.6% | 24.3% | 7.1% | 1979 | $1,242 | 37.1% | 94.6% | 2.8% |
| Roanoke City | 2.28 | 40.2 | 13.5% | 47.6% | 12.5% | 1959 | $1,018 | 29.7% | 89.7% | 5.4% |
| Botetourt County | 2.58 | 47.9 | 7.1% | 14.5% | 12.4% | 1984 | $1,171 | 29.0% | 94.4% | 2.5% |
| Pike County | 2.33 | 42.5 | 9.4% | 24.7% | 15.4% | 1985 | $803 | 18.3% | 82.9% | 4.9% |
| Bedford County | 2.47 | 47.1 | 6.7% | 15.3% | 9.6% | 1989 | $1,018 | 34.4% | 92.7% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Rutland County, VT · Lincoln County, SD · Livingston County, NY · Maverick County, TX · Pulaski County, MO · Putnam County, WV · Queen Anne's County, MD · Reno County, KS · Roane County, TN · Rusk County, 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 Mercer 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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