Population 1,778,373 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Virginia
Household size in West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in West Virginia run small, averaging 2.43 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. West Virginia has smaller households than at least four in five states.
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 West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.3 |
The median resident of West Virginia is 43.2 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.4, mirroring the country. Only four of the 50 states and D.C. are older.
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 West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in West Virginia (10.4%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.6 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 West Virginia
Renters in West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in West Virginia rent their homes (25.1%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. More than half of owners (53.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. West Virginia has the lowest share of renters of any state.
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 West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in West Virginia: 14.9% 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. Few states have a higher vacancy rate: only three of 51.
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 West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 |
Homes in West Virginia are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1976, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1970 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 West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Virginia costs $905 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $327 a month from 2006–10, a 57% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.0% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. West Virginia has the lowest rents of any state.
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 West Virginia
Bachelor's degrees in West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in West Virginia have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 25.0%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 6.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. West Virginia has the lowest share of college graduates of any state.
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 West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in West Virginia is close to the national rate: 89.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.9 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 West Virginia
| Period | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Virginia is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.6 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
West Virginia compared with nearby states
| State | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 2.43 | 43.2 | 10.4% | 25.1% | 14.9% | 1976 | $905 | 25.0% | 89.4% | 5.5% |
| Virginia | 2.62 | 40.3 | 10.7% | 32.7% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,743 | 42.5% | 91.6% | 4.3% |
| Ohio | 2.46 | 40.8 | 11.7% | 32.8% | 8.7% | 1972 | $1,142 | 31.9% | 91.7% | 4.9% |
| District of Columbia | 2.09 | 36.2 | 12.2% | 58.5% | 10.4% | 1963 | $2,078 | 63.4% | 92.7% | 7.0% |
| Maryland | 2.68 | 40.6 | 11.7% | 32.4% | 7.1% | 1978 | $1,869 | 43.4% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 2.46 | 42.0 | 10.7% | 30.7% | 9.1% | 1967 | $1,323 | 35.6% | 91.8% | 5.4% |
| North Carolina | 2.52 | 40.3 | 11.4% | 33.4% | 11.4% | 1990 | $1,317 | 36.2% | 90.2% | 4.8% |
| Kentucky | 2.51 | 39.9 | 11.9% | 31.7% | 10.6% | 1982 | $1,024 | 27.6% | 88.8% | 5.1% |
| Delaware | 2.58 | 43.0 | 12.3% | 27.0% | 9.6% | 1984 | $1,514 | 35.5% | 91.5% | 5.1% |
| Indiana | 2.54 | 39.3 | 11.7% | 29.4% | 9.3% | 1977 | $1,146 | 30.0% | 89.9% | 4.3% |
| South Carolina | 2.50 | 41.2 | 11.7% | 28.1% | 11.8% | 1991 | $1,294 | 32.6% | 90.2% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
States with similar populations: South Carolina · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Puerto Rico
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 West Virginia. 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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