Population 225 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Shoals
Household size in Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.52 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.10 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Shoals run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in West Virginia overall, where it has 2.43 people.
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 Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.4 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.3 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.1 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.5 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Shoals are younger than 40.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in West Virginia overall, where the median age is 43.2. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.4, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.9% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.3 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.0% of households in Shoals, 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 Shoals
Renters in Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.6% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.5% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.0% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −11.7 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 7.8% of households in Shoals rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among owners, 46.2% have paid off their mortgages, 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 Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.6% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Shoals: 7.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing.
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 Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1987 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1990 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −9 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Shoals are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 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 Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $278 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $557 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $679 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,105 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$827 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Shoals costs $1,105 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in West Virginia overall ($905). The typical renter here spends 34.5% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Shoals
Bachelor's degrees in Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.7% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.0% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.3% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.0% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Shoals (30.0%) 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%).
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 Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.6% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.1% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.5% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Shoals is above the national rate: 93.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, 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 Shoals
| Period | Shoals | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.0% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
The survey found almost no one in Shoals out of work and looking, against 5.4% of the labor force 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).
Shoals 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoals | 2.54 | 40.5 | 5.0% | 7.8% | 7.7% | 1978 | $1,105 | 30.0% | 93.5% | 0.0% |
| Lavalette | 2.43 | 43.6 | 3.9% | 11.7% | 8.9% | 1982 | $980 | 27.5% | 93.9% | 5.1% |
| Kenova | 2.49 | 42.1 | 17.8% | 24.2% | 12.6% | 1963 | $1,199 | 24.7% | 95.0% | 2.1% |
| Ceredo | 2.29 | 45.0 | 10.6% | 28.0% | 14.4% | 1972 | $943 | 25.7% | 90.5% | 5.3% |
| Prichard | 3.27 | 35.2 | 18.5% | 22.1% | 16.0% | 1978 | $870 | 11.1% | 83.0% | 3.3% |
| Lockwood | 2.16 | 54.4 | 13.7% | 9.6% | 14.2% | 1979 | $720 | 6.9% | 87.4% | 0.0% |
| Huntington | 2.21 | 40.6 | 9.9% | 41.5% | 14.9% | 1963 | $983 | 36.3% | 90.2% | 6.2% |
| Wayne | 2.72 | 45.2 | 6.5% | 24.3% | 15.0% | 1978 | $795 | 8.3% | 86.3% | 4.5% |
| South Point | 2.50 | 43.2 | 11.1% | 37.5% | 14.4% | 1982 | $821 | 16.4% | 89.7% | 2.3% |
| Catlettsburg | 2.36 | 45.4 | 11.2% | 19.9% | 11.9% | 1974 | $777 | 17.0% | 89.4% | 4.3% |
| Chesapeake | 2.60 | 44.6 | 9.8% | 23.0% | 16.9% | 1976 | $896 | 21.5% | 89.7% | 1.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
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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 Shoals. 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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