Monroe County, West Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Monroe 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 average
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D
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Monroe County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,386 | 1,778,099 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 26.2 | 73.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.05% | -0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 48.0 | 40.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,619 | 728,564 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Monroe County declined by 9.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 12,386 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Monroe County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 24.2% of residents. That is 3.0 points above West Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,092 16.9% -2.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,182 17.6% -1.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,673 21.6% +0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,003 24.2% +3.0 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 50.1% of the people living in Monroe County and men 49.9%.
- Women 50.1% West Virginia 50.3%
- Men 49.9% West Virginia 49.7%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Monroe County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Monroe County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Monroe County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,106 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.66% | 4.26% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Monroe County is about 6% lower than in West Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Monroe County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $98,845 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $689 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.9% | 74.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Monroe County is about 12.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $689 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Monroe County spend about 67 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 280 hours, about 11.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Monroe County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 33.7 | 21.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 67.3 | 43.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 280 | 180 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $8,695 | $5,581 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,764 | 7,243 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 514 | 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 Monroe County is 34 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
Monroe County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Monroe County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.8% | 21.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.67 | 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
Monroe County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Monroe County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.0 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 23.6% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 24.6% | 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).
Monroe County, WV Compared With Nearby Counties
How Monroe County, WV compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, WV | 12,386 | $56,106 #2/3 | $98,845 #3/3 | 33.7 min #3/3 |
| Greenbrier County, WV | 32,386 | $48,009 | $110,000 | 21.0 min |
| Montgomery County, VA | 99,089 | $71,288 | $358,482 | 16.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Monroe County, West Virginia.
How many people live in Monroe County, West Virginia?
About 12,386 people live in Monroe County, West Virginia, in 4,619 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 48.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 11 years.
How densely populated is Monroe County, West Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Monroe County, West Virginia has 26 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 30% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Monroe County, West Virginia?
The median home costs 1.8 times the median household income ($98,845 against $56,106), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $689 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Monroe County, West Virginia?
13.8% of adults in Monroe 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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