Population 83,407 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wood County
Household size in Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.38 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Wood 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. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.39, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
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 Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.3 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.3 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.8 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.9 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Wood County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.9, against 40.1 nationally. West Virginia as a whole looks much the same. The median age has climbed from 42.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Wood County (10.0%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. West Virginia as a whole looks much the same.
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 Wood County
Renters in Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.6% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.7% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.5% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.9% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Wood County rent their homes (24.9%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About half of owners (50.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 1.7 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 Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Wood County than nationally: 11.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Still, the rate is lower than in West Virginia overall (14.9%).
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 Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +6 |
Wood County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1970, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1967 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $568 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $629 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $772 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $854 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$286 | +$327 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Wood County costs $854 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $286 a month since 2006–10, up 50%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.0% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the west.
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 Wood County
Bachelor's degrees in Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.9% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.8% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.0% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.2% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Wood County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.2%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 5.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the south.
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 Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.4% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.2% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.8% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.4% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Wood County is a bit above the national rate: 91.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Wood 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 Wood County
| Period | Wood County | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wood County is the same as the national rate: 5.4% of the labor force. Unemployment is down 2.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Wood 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood County | 2.34 | 43.9 | 10.0% | 24.9% | 11.4% | 1970 | $854 | 24.2% | 91.4% | 5.4% |
| Pleasants County | 2.58 | 43.5 | 10.1% | 18.6% | 13.9% | 1979 | $686 | 14.5% | 89.9% | 9.5% |
| Ritchie County | 2.46 | 45.0 | 7.7% | 15.8% | 18.4% | 1977 | $628 | 15.0% | 85.5% | 2.0% |
| Athens County | 2.41 | 37.2 | 7.0% | 39.6% | 13.9% | 1975 | $1,004 | 35.7% | 91.8% | 6.8% |
| Doddridge County | 2.55 | 47.0 | 12.8% | 11.2% | 19.8% | 1976 | $862 | 13.8% | 85.1% | 7.5% |
| Vinton County | 2.39 | 43.4 | 9.1% | 24.5% | 11.5% | 1984 | $805 | 12.9% | 83.9% | 5.3% |
| Harrison County | 2.47 | 43.1 | 8.7% | 26.4% | 13.2% | 1966 | $922 | 27.6% | 90.0% | 4.0% |
| Taylor County | 2.51 | 42.4 | 15.0% | 16.1% | 12.9% | 1973 | $823 | 21.3% | 88.7% | 6.5% |
| Ross County | 2.43 | 41.4 | 12.3% | 30.4% | 8.9% | 1975 | $914 | 17.6% | 89.2% | 3.9% |
| Barbour County | 2.49 | 40.7 | 13.7% | 21.7% | 14.7% | 1977 | $871 | 12.9% | 88.3% | 9.2% |
| Tucker County | 2.34 | 51.5 | 5.0% | 19.1% | 30.1% | 1974 | $678 | 23.8% | 90.5% | 6.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Victoria County, TX · Steuben County, NY · Christian County, MO · St. Croix County, WI · St. Clair County, AL · Twin Falls County, ID · Madison County, KY · Campbell County, KY · Calvert County, MD · Grafton County, NH
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 Wood 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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