Kanawha County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Kanawha County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
C
Kanawha County Below averageWealthier than 85% of counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Kanawha County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $61,190 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,815 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.5% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.9% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.2% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Kanawha County is about 3% higher than in West Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Kanawha County (3.5%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Kanawha County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the West Virginia average of 8%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Kanawha County, West Virginia grew by 47.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $61,190 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Kanawha County
| Metric | Kanawha County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.538 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,497 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,510 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 19.5% | 23.0% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Kanawha County, it is 0.538, lower than West Virginia's 0.554, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 24% more than women's income in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 24% wage gap accumulates to roughly $419,545 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kanawha County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 25% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $906 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Kanawha County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.6% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 4,526 people are unemployed in Kanawha County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Kanawha County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Kanawha County, West Virginia has fallen from 7.3% to 5.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.4% in 2012 and fell as low as 5.4% in 2022.
Kanawha County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Kanawha County, WV is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 176,529 residents against a local median of 21,027. The measure that sets Kanawha County, WV apart most is unemployment: 5.6%, 37% below the local median of 8.8%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.5%/yr against a local median of 4.5%/yr, 22% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Kanawha County, WV is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 8.6% on unemployment, so Kanawha County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Kanawha County, WV has the 3rd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County, WV | 176,529 | $61,190 #2/6 | 3.5%/yr #5/6 | 5.6% #3/6 | 0.538 #3/6 |
| Boone County, WV | 21,027 | $57,090 | 5.4%/yr | 8.8% | 0.559 |
| Putnam County, WV | 57,177 | $80,154 | 4.5%/yr | 3.1% | 0.530 |
| Roane County, WV | 13,786 | $45,941 | 3.9%/yr | 8.9% | 0.567 |
| Clay County, WV | 7,835 | $43,805 | 3.2%/yr | 11.7% | 0.587 |
| Jackson County, WV | 27,705 | $59,206 | 4.7%/yr | 5.1% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Kanawha County, West Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than West Virginia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Kanawha County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Kanawha County, West Virginia?
Kanawha County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $61,190, about 3% higher than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
How has median household income changed in Kanawha County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Kanawha County, West Virginia rose 48%, from $41,453 to $61,190. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +48% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Kanawha County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Kanawha County, West Virginia was $58,918, up 7% from $55,115 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Kanawha County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Kanawha County, West Virginia was $47,195. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $61,190.
What is the Gini coefficient in Kanawha County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Kanawha County is 0.538. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Kanawha County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kanawha County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 25% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $906 since 2009.
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 →