Hardy County, West Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Hardy 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 85% of counties in West Virginia
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C
Income Below averageWealthier than 81% of counties in West Virginia
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Hardy County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,243 | 1,778,099 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 24.4 | 73.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.27% | -0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 47.8 | 40.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 5,954 | 728,564 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Hardy County grew by 5.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 14,243 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Hardy County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 23.5% of residents. That is 2.3 points above West Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,437 17.1% -2.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,637 18.5% -0.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,021 21.2% on par
- Boomers 61–79 3,341 23.5% +2.3 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 49.5% of the people living in Hardy County and men 50.5%.
- Women 49.5% West Virginia 50.3%
- Men 50.5% West Virginia 49.7%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Hardy County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Hardy County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Hardy County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,162 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 2.78% | 4.26% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Hardy County is about 18% lower than in West Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Hardy County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $332,222 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $816 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.3% | 74.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Hardy County is about 33.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $816 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Hardy County spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 170 hours, about 7.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Hardy County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.5 | 21.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 40.9 | 43.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 170 | 180 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,284 | $5,581 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,565 | 7,243 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,032 | 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 Hardy County is 20 minutes, shorter 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
Hardy County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Hardy County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.2% | 21.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.38 | 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
Hardy County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Hardy County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.5 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 22.2% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 24.9% | 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).
Hardy County, WV Compared With Nearby Counties
Hardy County, WV is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 14,243 residents against a local median of 35,890. Where Hardy County, WV breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 97% above the local median of $168,711 at $332,222.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $49,162 against a local median of $69,282, 29% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 29% below the local median it puts Hardy County, WV at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $299,397 on median home price, so Hardy County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hardy County, WV has the highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardy County, WV | 14,243 | $49,162 #5/5 | $332,222 #1/5 | 20.5 min #1/5 |
| Shenandoah County, VA | 44,927 | $68,277 | $177,005 | 25.6 min |
| Hampshire County, WV | 23,465 | $63,970 | $160,416 | 40.3 min |
| Mineral County, WV | 26,854 | $70,287 | $5,510 | 21.5 min |
| Rockingham County, VA | 85,561 | $81,577 | $304,906 | 20.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Hardy County, West Virginia.
How many people live in Hardy County, West Virginia?
About 14,243 people live in Hardy County, West Virginia, in 5,954 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 47.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 11 years.
How densely populated is Hardy County, West Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Hardy County, West Virginia has 24 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 28% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Hardy County, West Virginia?
The median home costs 6.8 times the median household income ($332,222 against $49,162), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $816 a month takes about 20% 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 Hardy County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Hardy County, West Virginia is 7.3%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Hardy County, West Virginia?
14.2% of adults in Hardy County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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