placestats

West Virginia

Population1.8m
Counties55county-level areas on the 2024 Census map
Density28.7people per km² of land
Median household income$57,9176th percentile of states

How it has changed

The state’s own figures from 2010 to 2024. A measure published for only one year shows as a single point instead of a line.

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The state figure, and the range across its counties

The state figure is the one its own agency publishes. It is never an average of the counties. You cannot average medians (middle values) to get a new median, and a rate has to be worked out again from the added-up counts. The county range next to it shows what a single state number has to hide.

Sometimes fewer counties report than the state has. The missing ones were held back because their counts were too small to publish — mostly deaths. A range from only part of the state is not the state’s full range. It can even sit entirely above or below the state figure. So the number of counties reporting is shown next to it.

You can sort by any column. 47 of these 185 measures have a clear better end, and those are ranked best first. For example, the lowest infant death rate is first place, and so is the highest life expectancy. The rest have no better end, so they are ranked highest first, and the cell says “highest” instead of “best”. A state is not winning or losing by how much of its tax comes from severance taxes (taxes on oil, gas and minerals taken from the ground).

Alcohol-involved share of driving deaths0.256%20th best of 510%0.304%0.667%41
Always wears a seatbelt91.141st best of 49————
Arrivals per 100 people staying2.8332nd highest of 512.674.378.6255
Arrivals per 100 staying, $200,000 or more2.4426th highest of 51————
Arthritis37.546th best of 46————
Binge drinking14.67th best of 49————
Births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 5049.636th highest of 5227.955.195.723
Black Protestant adherents1.326th highest of 5100.357.4455
Black-white residential segregation61.332nd highest of 5131.251.783.829
Business closing rate8.3142nd highest of 513.697.9112.855
Business opening rate9.1739th highest of 5109.3818.555
Catholic adherents5.6246th highest of 5102.725.255
Checkup in the past year77.417th highest of 49————
Child mortality60.735th best of 5137.464.211528
Child poverty rate, ages 0-1719.6%43rd best of 5110%21.9%36.9%55
Children in single-parent households0.242%26th highest of 510.121%0.234%0.409%49
Congregations per 10,000 people22.73rd highest of 519.7527.589.555
Current asthma1447th best of 47————
Current smoking24.149th best of 49————
Departures per 100 people staying2.5936th highest of 512.984.457.355
Departures per 100 staying, $200,000 or more2.8114th highest of 51————
Depression33.149th best of 49————
Diabetes19.544th best of 45————
Difficulty concentrating or deciding20.749th best of 49————
Difficulty running errands alone13.146th best of 46————
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs22.545th best of 47————
Disability-free score-2.4747th highest of 47-2.54-0.6850.49255
Drug overdose deaths7851st best of 5127.465.318144
Effective general sales tax rate2.0639th highest of 51————
Effective individual income tax rate2.8713th highest of 51————
Effective property tax rate0.53742nd highest of 520.3040.4850.68355
Effective property tax rate on income2.140th highest of 51————
Evangelical Protestant adherents16.821st highest of 513.9214.440.155
Fair or poor health25.649th best of 49————
Fine particulate matter6.718th best of 515.56.78.255
Firearm fatalities17.935th best of 519.418.138.941
Firearm share of suicides, standardised11417th highest of 5186.411617647
Firearm suicide rate12.87th highest of 517.8214.428.147
Flu vaccination among Medicare enrollees0.41%46th best of 510.22%0.37%0.51%55
Gini index of income inequality0.4730th best of 520.3810.4580.56155
Has health insurance93.711th highest of 49————
Health score-1.6949th highest of 49-2.16-0.7350.14455
High blood pressure43.646th best of 49————
High cholesterol40.349th best of 49————
High school graduation0.911%1st best of 480.775%0.925%0.98%53
Homeownership rate74.3%1st highest of 5257.6%79.1%88.5%55
Homicide rate5.8525th best of 512.027.231914
Homicide rate, annual4.9731st highest of 517.441216.62
How much faster the top bracket arrives than everyone else-0.60749th highest of 51————
Income gap between arrivals and departures$-1,95924th highest of 51$-15,490$493$21,28055
Infant mortality7.0947th best of 515.667.949.711
Injury deaths14651st best of 5172.514026955
Life expectancy72.1 years50th best of 5165.1 years73.1 years77.6 years55
Mainline Protestant adherents12.25th highest of 512.8413.229.155
Material security score-0.69144th highest of 51-2.03-0.2230.78655
Mean adjusted gross income per return$68,20150th best of 51$43,770$60,550$89,40055
Mean income of arriving households$58,47848th highest of 51$34,840$47,850$75,87055
Mean income of departing households$60,43749th highest of 51$34,470$46,200$71,78055
Mean travel time to work26.6 min38th best of 5220.1 min29.6 min41.7 min55
Median age42.7 years5th highest of 5232.5 years44.5 years51.2 years55
Median gross rent$85051st highest of 52$483$754$1,23854
Median home value$155,60051st highest of 52$49,200$135,800$324,50055
Median household income$57,91750th best of 52$29,980$53,480$95,52055
Median household income (model-based)$55,87550th best of 51$35,160$53,190$92,75055
Median property tax bill83550th highest of 522786401,79655
Meets aerobic guidelines54.645th best of 49————
Membership organisations12.610th best of 5101018.655
Millionaire returns as a share of all returns0.15952nd highest of 52————
Millionaires' share of all income5.8652nd highest of 52————
Motor vehicle crash deaths15.939th best of 517.0118.339.147
Net business formation rate0.85529th highest of 51-12.70.89314.655
Net domestic migration rate1.8619th highest of 51————
Net migration per 100 people staying0.23918th highest of 51-2.030.01112.255
Net migration per 100 staying, $200,000 or more-0.36733rd highest of 51————
Obesity42.349th best of 49————
Orthodox Christian adherents0.1135th highest of 51001.0355
Other religion adherents1.751st highest of 5101.376.1955
People per tax return220th highest of 5122255
Per capita income$32,94950th best of 52$16,600$30,620$44,50055
Per capita personal income$52,96350th best of 51$34,840$48,250$67,57055
Poverty rate16.6%48th best of 528%17.5%33.4%55
Poverty rate (model-based)16.4%48th best of 519%17.7%36.2%55
Premature mortality62550th best of 513715821,10655
Preventable hospital stays3,93851st best of 511,7763,56110,32055
Private job growth2.1623rd highest of 52-9.383.2933.955
Religious adherents37.844th highest of 5117.333.463.555
Republican share of the two-party vote, 202471.32nd highest of 5152.378.99055
Returns claiming charitable contributions2.33%51st highest of 510%1.29%7.22%55
Returns claiming the earned income credit16.3%14th highest of 5110.3%17.5%25.7%55
Returns reporting capital gains11.2%50th highest of 512.96%10.3%18%55
Returns reporting unemployment compensation3.08%16th highest of 511.54%3.65%12.2%55
Safety score-1.4849th highest of 51-4.3-1.320.30846
Share aged 65 and over20.7%5th highest of 5213.2%22.2%29.1%55
Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic0.0647%49th highest of 510%0%0%16
Share Asian, not Hispanic0.747%51st highest of 520%0.432%3.52%25
Share Black, not Hispanic3.21%38th highest of 520.663%2.59%14.3%29
Share divorced13.4%3rd highest of 528.79%13.6%17.5%55
Share foreign-born1.71%52nd highest of 520.574%1.38%5.09%22
Share Hispanic or Latino, any race2.02%52nd highest of 520%1.49%7.45%36
Share in the same house a year ago88.2%3rd highest of 5175%90%96.5%55
Share Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, not Hispanic0.0276%42nd highest of 490%0%0%36
Share never married29%49th highest of 5220.5%26.4%44.4%55
Share now married49.7%30th highest of 5236.4%51%58.4%55
Share of births to unmarried women37.8%8th highest of 5227%40.8%83.5%15
Share of some other race, not Hispanic0.284%46th highest of 520%0%0.729%14
Share of suicides by firearm63.4%11th highest of 5147.9%65%100%47
Share of taxes from alcohol0.34520th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from corporate income4.1438th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from corporation licences0.0099746th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from death and gift051st highest of 51————
Share of taxes from gambling0.45920th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from general sales and gross receipts1935th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from individual income26.618th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from insurance premiums1.8417th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from licences4.5122nd highest of 51————
Share of taxes from motor fuel4.264th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from motor vehicle licences0.052751st highest of 51————
Share of taxes from occupation and business licences2.535th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from other taxes96th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from property19.443rd highest of 51————
Share of taxes from property transfer0.14531st highest of 51————
Share of taxes from public utilities1.5811th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from selective sales17.33rd highest of 51————
Share of taxes from severance8.296th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from sports betting and pari-mutuels0.068919th highest of 51————
Share of taxes from tobacco1.535th highest of 51————
Share of two or more races, not Hispanic3.45%35th highest of 521.25%3.08%10.9%47
Share separated1.29%33rd highest of 520.684%1.4%2.44%28
Share White, not Hispanic90.2%3rd highest of 5279.1%93.9%97.2%55
Share widowed7.93%1st highest of 524.27%8.54%13.8%55
Share with a bachelor's degree or higher23.3%52nd best of 525.75%17.5%47.9%55
State income tax as a share of income2.8710th highest of 50————
State taxes as a share of income8.157th highest of 50————
Suicide rate19.640th best of 5113.121.136.441
Top state income tax rate5.12%24th highest of 50————
Total tax burden10.815th highest of 51————
Two weeks of poor mental health23.849th best of 49————
Two weeks of poor physical health18.547th best of 47————
Unemployment rate3.86%39th best of 522.7%4.1%6.9%55
Vacancy rate16.1%5th highest of 525.96%17.7%54.8%55
Went without care over cost14.239th best of 49————
Years of potential life lost13,32450th best of 517,45912,48024,03055
Aggregate travel time to work17,836,000 min38th highest of 5250,340 min207,300 min1,755,000 min55
Business establishments33,36042nd highest of 51523094,15755
Business establishments closed2,76142nd highest of 5132640655
Business establishments opened3,04543rd highest of 5102833755
Employed758,32040th highest of 521,9338,11678,22055
Foreign-born population30,51549th highest of 521735015,95222
Gross domestic product$101,480,000k43rd highest of 51$100,000k$1,002,000k$13,760,000k55
Housing units859,65038th highest of 522,72310,70090,39055
Labour force788,80040th highest of 522,0568,37581,15055
Millionaire tax returns1,24049th highest of 52————
Net domestic migration3,29622nd highest of 51————
Occupied housing units721,45039th highest of 522,0718,35476,81055
Owner-occupied housing units536,08038th highest of 521,7036,61553,89055
People covered by a tax return1,448,80039th highest of 514,47016,180142,70055
People in households earning $200,000 or more who did not move70,76847th highest of 51————
People who did not move1,299,00039th highest of 514,12114,350128,90055
Personal income$93,771,000k41st highest of 51$224,000k$924,100k$10,650,000k55
Population1,770,50039th highest of 514,99421,440174,60055
Population1,770,10039th highest of 515,00021,370174,80055
Population (firearm measures)1,707,80038th highest of 515,94123,580172,60047
Population (WONDER)1,770,10039th highest of 5172,360123,600174,8002
Population aged 15 and over1,490,40040th highest of 524,23618,850149,10055
Population aged 25 and over1,269,20039th highest of 523,73116,130129,20055
Population aged 65 and over368,99038th highest of 521,1414,91138,59055
Population below the poverty line287,66037th highest of 525653,72528,22055
Population below the poverty line281,92037th highest of 518254,04126,86055
Population for whom poverty status is determined1,728,60040th highest of 525,07321,060175,10055
Population for whom poverty status is determined1,719,00039th highest of 514,98320,640172,20055
Population in the same house one year ago1,574,00039th highest of 514,75719,950159,70055
Population with a bachelor's degree or higher295,54044th highest of 524672,32537,83055
Population, decennial census1,793,70039th highest of 515,19422,560180,70055
Presidential votes cast, 2024762,58041st highest of 512,3449,09775,24055
Private jobs551,38041st highest of 524694,15075,87055
State and local tax collections$10,140,000k40th highest of 51————
State individual income tax collected$2,693,600k32nd highest of 50————
State tax collected, all taxes$7,646,700k38th highest of 50————
Tax returns filed777,35039th highest of 512,2308,65079,93055
Total population1,784,50040th highest of 525,13122,050178,20055
Unemployed30,48239th highest of 52913382,93455
Vacant housing units138,20032nd highest of 524391,97113,58055
Women aged 15 to 50380,06040th highest of 521,0094,49938,05055
Women who gave birth in the past year18,86040th highest of 521814982,16223
Workers aged 16 and over who commute670,44040th highest of 521,7037,43169,80055

Links inside West Virginia

These are the site’s strongest pairs nationwide, worked out again using only this state’s counties. The r column shows how closely two measures rise and fall together, from −1 (opposite) to +1 (in step); 0 means no link. A link that shows up nationally but disappears inside every state is really about differences between states. A link that also holds here is not.

These figures are before adjusting for anything. Unlike the national figures, they do not take out population density, income or education.

Pairr within WVcounties
Median age × Share aged 65 and overInside West Virginia, where Median age is higher, Share aged 65 and over tends to be higher: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.+0.9355
Self-care disability × Material security scoreInside West Virginia, where Self-care disability is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.-0.9255
Stroke × Material security scoreInside West Virginia, where Stroke is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.-0.9155
Food insecurity × Returns claiming the earned income creditInside West Virginia, where Food insecurity is higher, Returns claiming the earned income credit tends to be higher: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.+0.8855
Lack of reliable transportation × Returns claiming the earned income creditInside West Virginia, where Lack of reliable transportation is higher, Returns claiming the earned income credit tends to be higher: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.+0.8755
Vision disability × Material security scoreInside West Virginia, where Vision disability is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.-0.9155
Housing insecurity × Returns claiming the earned income creditInside West Virginia, where Housing insecurity is higher, Returns claiming the earned income credit tends to be higher: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.+0.8655
Received food stamps × Material security scoreInside West Virginia, where Received food stamps is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.-0.9155
Self-care disability × Returns claiming the earned income creditInside West Virginia, where Self-care disability is higher, Returns claiming the earned income credit tends to be higher: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.+0.8855
Vision disability × Returns claiming the earned income creditInside West Virginia, where Vision disability is higher, Returns claiming the earned income credit tends to be higher: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.+0.8855
Fair or poor self-rated health × Material security scoreInside West Virginia, where Fair or poor self-rated health is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.-0.8955
Independent-living disability × Material security scoreInside West Virginia, where Independent-living disability is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 55 counties, before adjusting for anything.-0.9155

What this state is divided into

55 county-level areas, largest first. Each one is compared with its peers — the counties across the country most like it — not with the rest of this state.

Kanawha County · Berkeley County · Monongalia County · Cabell County · Wood County · Raleigh County · Harrison County · Mercer County · Jefferson County · Putnam County · Marion County · Ohio County · Fayette County · Wayne County · Preston County · Greenbrier County · Logan County · Marshall County · Hancock County · Randolph County · Jackson County · Mineral County · Mason County · Nicholas County · Upshur County · Hampshire County · Mingo County · Brooke County · Boone County · Wyoming County · Lincoln County · McDowell County · Morgan County · Lewis County · Taylor County · Barbour County · Hardy County · Wetzel County · Roane County · Monroe County · Braxton County · Summers County · Grant County · Ritchie County · Webster County · Tyler County · Clay County · Pocahontas County · Doddridge County · Pleasants County · Gilmer County · Tucker County · Calhoun County · Pendleton County · Wirt County