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CITY · 2010 ACS

Beckley

West Virginia · 17,614 residents · 9.50 sq mi
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The short version

Beckley is home to 17,614 people in West Virginia. The typical home is worth $95,400. The poverty rate is 25.0%, above the 13.8% national rate. The median age is 41.6, about 4 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 3%. Median household income is $31,480, under the $52,703 national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 41.6
US median: 37.2
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

17,614
+2%since 2000
from 17,254 in 2000
1990 – 2025
41.6
Unchangedsince 2000
from 41.6 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
9.50 sq mi
Population, 19902024
16K17K17K18K18K19902000201020202024Beckley
202417K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56.3%(1,110)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 95.4%(943)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 145.3%(937)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 195.7%(1,007)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247%(1,229)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3412.7%(2,237)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4411.2%(1,969)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5413.9%(2,446)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6414.6%(2,577)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 748.2%(1,436)
US avg: 7%
75 to 847.2%(1,267)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.6%(456)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$31,480
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,122 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$22,122
+17%since 2000
from $18,912 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
18.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
25.0%
+4.1 ptssince 2000
from 20.9% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.513
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information18.5%
US avg: 11.5%
Other services8.6%
US avg: 7%
Public administration6.2%
US avg: 4.9%
Finance & insurance4.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing4.1%
US avg: 0.5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.1%
US avg: 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, food4%
US avg: 2.4%
Retail trade3.3%
US avg: 10.9%
Wholesale trade3%
US avg: 7.2%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 3.1%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$95,400
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,300 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$526
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $409 in 2000
US average: $853
59.9%
−3.4 ptssince 2000
from 63.3% in 2000
40.1% rent
15.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.20 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.20 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
24.5%
+3.7 ptssince 2009
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
45.8%
+6.6 ptssince 2009
from 39.2% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
3.0
+11%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic73.2%(12,635)
Black22.8%(3,932)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(128)
Asian1.9%(325)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic71.7%(12,635)
Black21%(3,704)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(265)
Asian2.4%(428)
Other3.7%(644)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.2%(215)
Ancestry
American22.7%(3,981)
English9.8%(1,715)
Irish9.5%(1,657)
German9.3%(1,626)
Italian4.5%(791)
Scotch-Irish2.6%(455)
Scottish1.9%(340)
Polish1.7%(303)
Dutch1.7%(296)
French0.9%(150)
Welsh0.5%(96)
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.5%(89)
Swiss0.5%(85)
Hungarian0.3%(58)
Russian0.2%(42)
Egyptian0.2%(40)
Lithuanian0.2%(40)
Czech0.2%(39)
Syrian0.2%(35)
Canadian0.2%(35)
Ethiopian0.2%(30)
Austrian0.1%(20)
Norwegian0.1%(18)
Swedish0.1%(16)
Lebanese0.1%(14)
Slovak0.1%(13)
British0.1%(12)
Greek0.1%(11)
Nigerian0.1%(11)
Portuguese0.1%(10)
Section 05

Education

22.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 21.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
82.6%
+2.4 ptssince 2000
from 80.2% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
9.6%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

17.6 min
+31%since 2000
from 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
82.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 82.1% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
5.9%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
2.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
5.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
13.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

16.0%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
33.4%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 34.8% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

45.1%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 47.3% in 2009
54.9%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 52.7% in 2009
3.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
13.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married38.2%(2,470)
Married41.6%(2,690)
Widowed3.4%(221)
Divorced16.8%(1,088)
Women 15+
Never married31.1%(2,236)
Married36.9%(2,655)
Widowed13.2%(954)
Divorced18.8%(1,356)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

3.0%
−12.8 ptssince 2013
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
57.0%
+5.8 ptssince 2020
from 51.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.3%
+3.7 ptssince 2020
from 12.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
24.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 22.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
38.8%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
5.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
65.0%
+4.4 ptssince 2020
from 60.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
58.3%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)7.9%(71)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.2%(280)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.7%(51)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.1%(10)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Beckley, West Virginia?

Beckley, West Virginia has about 17,614 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Beckley, West Virginia?

The typical household in Beckley, West Virginia earns about $31,480 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 $95,400, and the typical rent is about $526 a month.

How educated are people in Beckley, West Virginia?

About 22.4% 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 25.0% 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 682 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →