Nicholas County, West Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Nicholas 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 averageLess healthy than 70% of counties in West Virginia
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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 | Nicholas County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,277 | 1,778,099 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 37.1 | 73.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.73% | -0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 46.6 | 40.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,466 | 728,564 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Nicholas County declined by 6.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 24,277 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Nicholas County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 23.6% of residents. That is 2.4 points above West Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,244 17.5% -2.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,463 18.4% -0.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,273 21.7% +0.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,737 23.6% +2.4 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 Nicholas 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 Nicholas County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Nicholas County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Nicholas County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,729 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.18% | 4.26% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Nicholas County is about 8% lower than in West Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Nicholas County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $97,812 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $686 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.2% | 74.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Nicholas County is about 11.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $686 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Nicholas County spend about 43 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 180 hours, about 7.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Nicholas County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.6 | 21.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.3 | 43.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 180 | 180 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,589 | $5,581 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,287 | 7,243 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 728 | 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 Nicholas County is about the same as 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
Nicholas County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Nicholas County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.1% | 21.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.55 | 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
Nicholas County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Nicholas County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.0 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 23.7% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 26.4% | 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).
Nicholas County, WV Compared With Nearby Counties
How Nicholas County, WV compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas County, WV | 24,277 | $54,729 #1/3 | $97,812 #2/3 | 21.6 min #2/3 |
| Fayette County, WV | 39,515 | $53,782 | $54,853 | 23.3 min |
| Greenbrier County, WV | 32,386 | $48,009 | $110,000 | 21.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Nicholas County, West Virginia.
What is the population of Nicholas County, West Virginia?
About 24,277 people live in Nicholas County, West Virginia, in 9,466 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 46.6, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 9 years.
How densely populated is Nicholas County, West Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Nicholas County, West Virginia has 37 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 43% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Nicholas County, West Virginia?
The median home costs 1.8 times the median household income ($97,812 against $54,729), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $686 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 Nicholas County, West Virginia?
17.1% of adults in Nicholas County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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