Population 7,784 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pocahontas County
Household size in Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.25 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.31 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Pocahontas County are small: just 2.38 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has climbed from 2.21 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.1 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.0 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.8 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.0 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Pocahontas County skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.0, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 46.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few West Virginia counties are older: only five of 55.
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 Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Pocahontas County: 6.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 2.8 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only three of West Virginia's 55 counties have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Pocahontas County
Renters in Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.6% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.1% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.4% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 16.4% of households in Pocahontas County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly two-thirds of owners (64.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the east. The renter share is down 3.2 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 Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.5% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.9% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 52.7% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 43.7% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 43.7% of the housing in Pocahontas County, 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. Pocahontas County has the highest vacancy rate of any West Virginia county.
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 Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Pocahontas County was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the south.
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 Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $470 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $579 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $589 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $742 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$271 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Pocahontas County costs $742 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $271 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 Pocahontas County
Bachelor's degrees in Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.8% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Pocahontas County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 19.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 6.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the northeast.
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 Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.1% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.6% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.6% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.1% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Pocahontas County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 7.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Pocahontas County
| Period | Pocahontas County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Pocahontas County: 10.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only one other West Virginia county has higher unemployment. Unemployment is up 3.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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).
Pocahontas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pocahontas County | 2.38 | 49.0 | 6.6% | 16.4% | 43.7% | 1979 | $742 | 19.8% | 86.1% | 10.7% |
| Highland County | 2.32 | 56.8 | 3.5% | 11.1% | 46.9% | 1970 | $854 | 29.9% | 89.0% | 9.9% |
| Nicholas County | 2.55 | 46.0 | 10.2% | 17.8% | 23.2% | 1980 | $712 | 24.6% | 90.5% | 6.3% |
| Staunton City | 2.17 | 41.6 | 12.0% | 39.1% | 10.0% | 1963 | $1,005 | 37.7% | 94.1% | 5.1% |
| Augusta County | 2.46 | 44.5 | 9.0% | 19.8% | 7.2% | 1987 | $1,131 | 25.1% | 91.8% | 2.4% |
| Greene County | 2.67 | 42.9 | 11.8% | 16.6% | 8.5% | 1993 | $1,284 | 31.8% | 91.2% | 1.9% |
| Kanawha County | 2.35 | 44.2 | 11.4% | 28.9% | 16.1% | 1967 | $973 | 30.8% | 91.7% | 5.6% |
| Madison County | 2.52 | 46.6 | 8.4% | 22.2% | 10.6% | 1981 | $1,206 | 27.2% | 89.1% | 4.8% |
| Lincoln County | 2.64 | 44.8 | 10.9% | 25.5% | 19.8% | 1983 | $808 | 9.3% | 81.9% | 5.9% |
| Orange County | 2.58 | 42.4 | 9.1% | 21.3% | 9.1% | 1991 | $1,515 | 29.1% | 90.9% | 2.9% |
| Spotsylvania County | 2.82 | 39.0 | 10.8% | 19.9% | 6.6% | 1997 | $1,814 | 34.7% | 90.9% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Skagway Municipality, AK · Fayette County, AL · Ferry County, WA · Fillmore County, NE · Fisher County, TX · Fleming County, KY · Florence County, WI · Florida Municipio, PR · Floyd County, IA · Faulk County, SD
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 Pocahontas 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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