United States › West Virginia › Beckley CITY
Beckley West Virginia · 16,373 residents (2025 est.) · 9.50 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 16,818 people, Beckley is a city in West Virginia. The poverty rate is 28.9%, above the 12.5% national rate. The typical home is worth $158,000, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 3%. Getting to work takes 17 minutes on average. Median household income is $45,826, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 17,254 in 2000
16,373 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,771 / sq mi
+1%since 2009
from 1,756 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 17K 17K 18K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Beckley Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $45,826
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,122 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,912 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 20.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.513 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.4%
Transportation & warehousing 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 3.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.3%
Education & health services 0.5%
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$158,000
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$869
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $409 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 63.3% in 2000
44.6% rent
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.20 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 73.2%(12,635)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(128)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 70.6%(11,881)
Hispanic / Latino 3.6%(600)
from 55 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 21.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 34.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 83.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 38.2%(2,470)
Women 15+
Never married 31.1%(2,236)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 60.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 14.3%(128)
Share of the 898 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Beckley Head to head
Compare Beckley to nearby cities BECKLEY VS
Bluefield
Income $49,375 +8%
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BECKLEY VS
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BECKLEY VS
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BECKLEY VS
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Income $49,491 +8%
Home value $160,500 +2%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Beckley, West Virginia? Beckley, West Virginia has about 16,818 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Beckley, West Virginia? The typical household in Beckley, West Virginia earns about $45,826 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Beckley, West Virginia expensive? In Beckley, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $158,000, and the typical rent is about $869 a month.
How educated are people in Beckley, West Virginia? About 29.2% of adults age 25 and over in Beckley, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Beckley, West Virginia? About 28.9% of people in Beckley, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Beckley, West Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Beckley, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,478 residents, a change of about -8 percent over that period.
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