Berkeley County, West Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Berkeley County, WV Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below averageHealthier than 91% of counties in West Virginia
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B
Income Around averageAmong the top 3 wealthiest counties in West Virginia
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 83% of counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Berkeley County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 129,514 | 1,778,099 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 402.4 | 73.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 2.04% | -0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.9 | 40.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 51,021 | 728,564 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Berkeley County grew by 30.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 129,514 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Berkeley County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.9% of residents. That is 3.8 points above West Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 25,985 20.1% +0.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 29,703 22.9% +3.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 28,096 21.7% +0.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 20,230 15.6% -5.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below West Virginia, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.3% of the people living in Berkeley County and men 49.7%.
- Women 50.3% West Virginia 50.3%
- Men 49.7% West Virginia 49.7%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Berkeley County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Berkeley County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Berkeley County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,771 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.56% | 4.26% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Berkeley County is about 37% higher than in West Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Berkeley County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $267,272 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,232 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 74.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Berkeley County is about 18.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,232 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Berkeley County spend about 47 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 197 hours, about 8.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Berkeley County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.6 | 21.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 47.2 | 43.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 197 | 180 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,094 | $5,581 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 11,744 | 7,243 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,077 | 1,052 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
West Virginia:
Randolph County (16.4 min), Ohio County (17.0 min), Pocahontas County (17.2 min).
Slowest:
Hampshire County (40.3 min), Morgan County (35.8 min), Monroe County (33.7 min).
The average commute time in Berkeley County is 24 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in West Virginia.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Berkeley County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Berkeley County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 21.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.52 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
West Virginia:
Monongalia County (0.4), Ohio County (0.3), Jefferson County (0.3).
Lowest:
McDowell County (0.1), Lincoln County (0.2), Clay County (0.2).
Health
Berkeley County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Berkeley County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.4 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 18.9% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 23.5% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
West Virginia:
Monongalia County (0.8), Jefferson County (0.8), Putnam County (0.8).
Lowest:
McDowell County (0.7), Lincoln County (0.8), Mingo County (0.8).
Berkeley County, WV Compared With Nearby Counties
Berkeley County, WV is the 2nd largest of the 4 counties compared here, 129,514 residents against a local median of 94,959. Where Berkeley County, WV breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 21% below the local median of $340,016 at $267,272.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $81,771 against a local median of $97,732, 16% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 16% below the local median it puts Berkeley County, WV at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $205,389 on median home price, so Berkeley County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Berkeley County, WV has the 3rd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley County, WV | 129,514 | $81,771 #3/4 | $267,272 #3/4 | 23.6 min #3/4 |
| Jefferson County, WV | 59,260 | $98,855 | $354,347 | 32.1 min |
| Washington County, MD | 155,706 | $78,373 | $148,959 | 21.6 min |
| Frederick County, VA | 94,959 | $97,732 | $340,016 | 23.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Berkeley County, West Virginia.
What is the population of Berkeley County, West Virginia?
About 129,514 people live in Berkeley County, West Virginia, in 51,021 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 36.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Berkeley County, West Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Berkeley County, West Virginia has 402 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 4.7 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Berkeley County, West Virginia?
The median home costs 3.3 times the median household income ($267,272 against $81,771), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,232 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Berkeley County, West Virginia?
23.1% of adults in Berkeley County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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