United States › West Virginia › Beckley CITY · 2020 ACS
Beckley West Virginia · 17,286 residents · 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Beckley is a city of 17,286 people in West Virginia. The typical home is worth $109,300, having risen by half since 2000. The foreign-born share is 4%. The median age is 42.0, about 3 years above the US median. The poverty rate is 20.3%, above the 12.8% national rate. Getting to work takes 19 minutes on average.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.0
US median: 38.8
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth 17,286
Unchangedsince 2000
from 17,254 in 2000
from 41.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 17K 17K 18K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Beckley Age distribution, 2020
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $42,972
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,122 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $18,912 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 20.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 5.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 3.6%
Transportation & warehousing 3.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.9%
Education & health services 1.4%
Public administration 0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$109,300
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$806
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $409 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 63.3% in 2000
44.5% rent
from 2.20 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 73.2%(12,635)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(128)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 69.4%(12,001)
Hispanic / Latino 2.2%(376)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 21.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 80.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 82.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 52.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 34.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 15.5%(187)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.9%(276)
Share of the 1,203 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Beckley Head to head
Compare Beckley to nearby cities BECKLEY VS
Bluefield
Income $49,375 +15%
Home value $105,400 −4%
Population 9,158 −44%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BECKLEY VS
Charleston
Income $65,812 +53%
Home value $203,300 +86%
Population 46,117 +182%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BECKLEY VS
South Charleston
Income $63,884 +49%
Home value $155,400 +42%
Population 13,072 −20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BECKLEY VS
Pulaski
Income $49,491 +15%
Home value $160,500 +47%
Population 8,807 −46%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Beckley, West Virginia? Beckley, West Virginia has about 17,286 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Beckley, West Virginia? The typical household in Beckley, West Virginia earns about $42,972 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 $109,300, and the typical rent is about $806 a month.
How educated are people in Beckley, West Virginia? About 26.8% 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 20.3% 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 1,010 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 