Gilmer County, West Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Gilmer 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.
-
C
Health Below averageAmong the top 5 healthiest counties in West Virginia
-
F
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in West Virginia
-
F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Gilmer County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,288 | 1,778,099 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 21.4 | 73.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.89% | -0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.9 | 40.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,254 | 728,564 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Gilmer County grew by 5.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 7,288 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Gilmer County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 24.0% of residents. That is 4.1 points above West Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,747 24.0% +4.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,634 22.4% +3.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,530 21.0% -0.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,238 17.0% -4.2 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 42.1% of the people living in Gilmer County and men 57.9%.
- Women 42.1% West Virginia 50.3%
- Men 57.9% West Virginia 49.7%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Gilmer County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Gilmer County has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Gilmer County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,050 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.34% | 4.26% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.8% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Gilmer County is about 21% lower than in West Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Gilmer County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $141,666 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $749 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.6% | 74.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Gilmer County is about 15.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $749 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Gilmer 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 195 hours, about 8.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Gilmer County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.3 | 21.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 46.7 | 43.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 195 | 180 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,030 | $5,581 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,566 | 7,243 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 166 | 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 Gilmer County is 23 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
Gilmer County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Gilmer County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.2% | 21.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.28 | 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
Gilmer County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Gilmer County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.2 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 19.8% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.7% | 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).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Gilmer County, West Virginia.
How big is Gilmer County, West Virginia by population?
About 7,288 people live in Gilmer County, West Virginia, in 2,254 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 41.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
How densely populated is Gilmer County, West Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Gilmer County, West Virginia has 21 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 25% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Gilmer County, West Virginia?
The median home costs 3.0 times the median household income ($141,666 against $47,050), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $749 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Gilmer County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Gilmer County, West Virginia is 6.8%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How educated are people in Gilmer County, West Virginia?
19.2% of adults in Gilmer County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →