Population 35,299 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wheeling
Household size in Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.28 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.25 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.18 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Wheeling are small: just 2.18 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. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.28, in line with the national trend.
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 Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.8 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.3 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.9 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.2 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.4 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Wheeling skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.2, 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 43.8, 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 Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Wheeling as they are nationally: 12.1%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in West Virginia as a whole (10.4%). The single-parent share has risen 1.8 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 Wheeling
Renters in Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.4% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.2% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.1% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.1% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Wheeling is about as common as it is nationally: 35.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in West Virginia as a whole (25.1%). Just over half of owners (53.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Wheeling: 14.6% 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. Vacancy has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 |
Wheeling is a place of older homes: half were built before 1955, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Only two of the 60 West Virginia cities with 5,000+ people 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 Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $558 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $608 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $709 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $817 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$259 | +$327 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wheeling pays $817 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $259 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; 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 Wheeling
Bachelor's degrees in Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.4% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.5% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.7% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.7% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Wheeling as nationally: 34.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in West Virginia overall (25.0%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 10.3 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.1% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.7% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Wheeling is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.0 points from 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 Wheeling
| Period | Wheeling | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Wheeling: 6.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Wheeling 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling | 2.18 | 44.2 | 12.1% | 35.1% | 14.6% | 1955 | $817 | 34.7% | 93.1% | 6.4% |
| Bethlehem | 2.34 | 44.7 | 4.9% | 12.2% | 8.5% | 1961 | $1,401 | 45.2% | 99.0% | 3.0% |
| Martins Ferry | 2.26 | 42.6 | 16.5% | 40.4% | 15.2% | 1949 | $775 | 13.7% | 88.9% | 10.4% |
| Riverview | 2.21 | 56.0 | 5.3% | 1.6% | 10.0% | 1958 | $583 | 23.3% | 91.5% | 2.4% |
| Brookside | 2.26 | 44.6 | 10.4% | 9.7% | 11.2% | 1943 | $569 | 23.7% | 94.0% | 6.3% |
| Triadelphia | 2.39 | 48.0 | 6.0% | 17.4% | 13.5% | 1978 | $855 | 26.2% | 90.1% | 2.7% |
| Benwood | 2.26 | 45.0 | 12.3% | 30.9% | 14.1% | 1950 | $738 | 14.7% | 87.9% | 3.0% |
| Bridgeport | 2.22 | 42.3 | 11.5% | 29.1% | 17.2% | 1956 | $756 | 19.0% | 94.7% | 6.8% |
| Clearview | 2.12 | 46.5 | 7.7% | 11.7% | 4.7% | 1974 | $833 | 38.2% | 99.6% | 8.1% |
| Lansing | 2.35 | 39.5 | 12.7% | 19.7% | 22.1% | 1953 | $998 | 16.4% | 95.4% | 13.1% |
| Bellaire | 2.22 | 46.0 | 13.1% | 30.4% | 16.4% | 1959 | $676 | 14.7% | 91.2% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Burien, WA · Cabo Rojo, PR · Calumet City, IL · Clemmons, NC · Mundelein, IL · Patillas, PR · Parkland, FL · Paragould, AR · Palmetto, FL · Oxford, MS
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 Wheeling. 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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