Population 23,712 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Upshur County
Household size in Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Upshur County is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.43 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the north.
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 Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.9 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.7 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.3 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.2 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Upshur County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 42.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the west.
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 Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are just as common in Upshur County as they are nationally: 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in West Virginia overall (10.4%). The single-parent share is up 4.7 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 Upshur County
Renters in Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.8% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.0% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.3% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.3% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 19.3% of households in Upshur County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. More than four in ten owners (45.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 1.6 points, 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 Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.2% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.5% of the housing in Upshur 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. Vacancy has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Upshur County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1971 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 Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $468 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $557 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $750 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $875 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$407 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Upshur County costs $875 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $407 a month from 2006–10, an 87% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 28.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the center.
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 Upshur County
Bachelor's degrees in Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.9% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Upshur County: 18.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.9 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southeast.
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 Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.2% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.4% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.3% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.2% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Upshur County have finished high school as nationally: 88.2%, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 9.0 points from 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 Upshur County
| Period | Upshur County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Upshur County is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Upshur 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upshur County | 2.34 | 43.3 | 11.6% | 19.3% | 14.5% | 1977 | $875 | 18.3% | 88.2% | 5.8% |
| Lewis County | 2.38 | 42.7 | 8.8% | 27.8% | 13.8% | 1979 | $717 | 19.0% | 88.2% | 8.1% |
| Randolph County | 2.40 | 45.0 | 8.3% | 25.0% | 18.5% | 1975 | $831 | 20.2% | 88.6% | 7.6% |
| Gilmer County | 2.38 | 42.2 | 12.4% | 24.4% | 43.1% | 1974 | $750 | 18.5% | 86.0% | 8.5% |
| Calhoun County | 2.40 | 49.2 | 7.6% | 12.9% | 18.5% | 1976 | $460 | 9.4% | 83.1% | 7.9% |
| Grant County | 2.47 | 48.8 | 7.4% | 18.9% | 21.1% | 1981 | $726 | 14.0% | 89.8% | 3.1% |
| Wirt County | 2.52 | 46.8 | 9.6% | 12.2% | 22.9% | 1987 | $561 | 15.4% | 89.6% | 4.9% |
| Hardy County | 2.43 | 47.4 | 8.5% | 22.7% | 27.0% | 1985 | $858 | 16.5% | 84.7% | 6.7% |
| Jackson County | 2.40 | 42.8 | 7.7% | 21.4% | 10.5% | 1980 | $798 | 19.8% | 89.0% | 5.2% |
| Shenandoah County | 2.52 | 44.3 | 9.7% | 26.7% | 13.1% | 1982 | $1,033 | 21.7% | 89.9% | 4.8% |
| Meigs County | 2.41 | 45.0 | 13.6% | 24.6% | 14.8% | 1976 | $848 | 12.6% | 86.4% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Jefferson County, ID · Iosco County, MI · Iowa County, IA · Iowa County, WI · Iroquois County, IL · Itawamba County, MS · Jackson County, OH · Jasper County, IN · Jasper County, TX · Inyo County, CA
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 Upshur 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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