Population 14,078 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wetzel County
Household size in Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.66 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Wetzel County is a place of small households, averaging 2.32 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.40, as it has nationally. Only five of West Virginia's 55 counties have smaller households.
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 Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.9 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.9 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.3 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.4 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.5 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Wetzel County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 43.9, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.6% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Wetzel County (10.6%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of West Virginia. The single-parent share has edged up 1.1 points since 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 Wetzel County
Renters in Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.7% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.6% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.8% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Wetzel County is largely a place of homeowners: only 16.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over six in ten owners (62.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.1 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 Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.3% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 27.7% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Wetzel County: 15.8% 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. The picture is much the same across West Virginia.
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 Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +6 | +6 |
Wetzel County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1962, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the west. Only four of West Virginia's 55 counties have older homes.
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 Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $488 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $489 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $665 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $648 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$160 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Wetzel County costs $648 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $160 a month from 2006–10, a 33% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 23.6% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; 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 Wetzel County
Bachelor's degrees in Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.1% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Wetzel County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.1%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 5.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west 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 Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.5% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.1% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.3% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.0% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.5 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Wetzel County have finished high school (92.0%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 9.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Wetzel County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five West Virginia counties.
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 Wetzel County
| Period | Wetzel County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.3%, unemployment in Wetzel County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 1.6 points since 2006–10, 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).
Wetzel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wetzel County | 2.32 | 44.4 | 10.6% | 16.8% | 15.8% | 1962 | $648 | 18.1% | 92.0% | 5.3% |
| Tyler County | 2.51 | 46.5 | 6.6% | 15.9% | 20.2% | 1967 | $737 | 15.4% | 90.8% | 6.9% |
| Monroe County | 2.40 | 45.6 | 7.8% | 20.1% | 17.6% | 1976 | $769 | 12.0% | 90.6% | 5.9% |
| Noble County | 2.50 | 51.2 | 5.0% | 16.5% | 17.7% | 1977 | $702 | 16.0% | 84.3% | 1.5% |
| Monongalia County | 2.37 | 35.4 | 8.1% | 42.1% | 12.7% | 1987 | $1,034 | 50.7% | 94.6% | 4.6% |
| Morgan County | 2.40 | 44.5 | 11.5% | 21.1% | 21.3% | 1977 | $764 | 14.1% | 88.1% | 3.5% |
| Preston County | 2.42 | 44.5 | 7.8% | 18.5% | 12.9% | 1984 | $846 | 18.3% | 86.4% | 4.5% |
| Garrett County | 2.27 | 46.3 | 8.7% | 20.3% | 20.7% | 1980 | $827 | 24.9% | 90.1% | 4.8% |
| Perry County | 2.66 | 40.3 | 11.4% | 23.6% | 10.8% | 1975 | $845 | 15.9% | 88.4% | 3.5% |
| Hocking County | 2.41 | 42.9 | 12.5% | 21.2% | 11.4% | 1980 | $851 | 13.6% | 89.7% | 6.1% |
| Fairfield County | 2.72 | 40.7 | 11.4% | 25.1% | 6.5% | 1982 | $1,388 | 32.6% | 94.1% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Childress County, TX · Wirt County, WV · Claiborne Parish, LA · Claiborne County, MS · Ciales Municipio, PR · Chugach Census Area, AK · Chowan County, NC · Chouteau County, MT · Choctaw County, MS · White Pine County, NV
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 Wetzel 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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