West Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
West Virginia Population Density Map and Area Scores
State 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 88% of states in the US
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D
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy states in the US
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D
Education Well below averageLeast educated state in the US
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | West Virginia | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,778,099 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 73.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 40.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 728,564 | 130,235,071 |
Population in West Virginia declined by 1.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,778,099 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in West Virginia is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.2% of residents. That is 1.4 points above the US as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 352,467 19.8% -1.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 340,124 19.1% -3.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 377,314 21.2% +1.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 376,964 21.2% +4.3 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 the US, 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 West Virginia and men 49.7%.
- Women 50.3% the US 50.5%
- Men 49.7% the US 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in West Virginia
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
West Virginia has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | West Virginia | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.26% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in West Virginia is about 26% lower than in US.
Housing
| Metric | West Virginia | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $871 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in West Virginia is about 9.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $871 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in West Virginia 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 | West Virginia | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 180 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,581 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,243 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 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 West Virginia is about the same as in US.
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
West Virginia has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | West Virginia | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 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
West Virginia has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | West Virginia | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 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).
West Virginia Compared With Nearby States
West Virginia is the 5th largest of the 6 states compared here, 1,778,099 residents against a local median of 10,724,323. The measure that sets West Virginia apart most is median home price: $94,699, 63% below the local median of $256,082.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $59,640 against a local median of $78,249, 24% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 24% below the local median it puts West Virginia at the weaker end of the local range. The states themselves spread $458,231 on median home price, so West Virginia sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. West Virginia has the 6th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 1,778,099 | $59,640 #6/6 | $94,699 #6/6 | 21.6 min #2/6 |
| Virginia | 8,702,460 | $93,527 | $256,082 | 23.2 min |
| Ohio | 11,799,428 | $71,509 | $139,044 | 21.1 min |
| North Carolina | 10,724,323 | $72,438 | $278,288 | 21.9 min |
| Pennsylvania | 13,004,688 | $78,249 | $152,469 | 22.4 min |
| District of Columbia | 678,314 | $110,571 | $597,276 | 30.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about West Virginia.
How big is West Virginia by population?
About 1,778,099 people live in West Virginia, in 728,564 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 40.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is West Virginia mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, West Virginia has 73 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
Is West Virginia an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.6 times the median household income ($94,699 against $59,640), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $871 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in West Virginia have a college degree?
21.3% of adults in West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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