CensusEasy
CITY · 2020 ACS

Fairmont

West Virginia · 18,416 residents · 8.60 sq mi
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The short version

With 18,416 people, Fairmont is a city in West Virginia. 1% of residents were born outside the United States. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $117,000. The poverty rate is 22.4%, above the 12.8% national rate. People stay put here: 79% were in the same home a year ago. Median household income is $45,540, under the $66,278 national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 37.1
US median: 38.8
Average education
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

18,416
−4%since 2000
from 19,097 in 2000
1990 – 2025
37.1
−6%since 2000
from 39.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
8.60 sq mi
Population, 19902024
18K19K19K20K20K19902000201020202024Fairmont
202418K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.4%(1,003)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.6%(1,025)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.2%(963)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.6%(1,401)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 249.2%(1,703)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.2%(2,606)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.2%(2,242)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.6%(1,961)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6411.7%(2,147)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.4%(1,907)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.4%(986)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.6%(472)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$45,540
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,628 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$24,659
+54%since 2000
from $16,062 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
27.4%
+10.4 ptssince 2009
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
22.4%
+2.4 ptssince 2000
from 20.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information13%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade6.1%
US avg: 10%
Finance & insurance4.5%
US avg: 5.5%
Wholesale trade4.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services2.9%
US avg: 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.6%
US avg: 1.7%
Manufacturing2.4%
US avg: 0.5%
Arts, entertainment, food2.4%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services1.7%
US avg: 0.8%
Public administration1.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$117,000
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$786
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $395 in 2000
US average: $1,124
63.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 63.4% in 2000
36.2% rent
2.27 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.26 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.6
−8%since 2009
from 2.8 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-Hispanic89.5%(17,090)
Black7.2%(1,381)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(157)
Asian0.6%(116)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic83.3%(15,332)
Black7.2%(1,324)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(398)
Asian0.6%(106)
Other4.4%(813)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.4%(82)
Puerto Rican0.3%(54)
Spaniard0.3%(48)
Asian origin
Chinese0.4%(65)
Ancestry
German18.9%(3,484)
Irish14%(2,586)
Italian10.6%(1,953)
English9.6%(1,766)
American6.9%(1,274)
Polish2.2%(409)
Scottish2.2%(404)
Dutch1.7%(316)
French1.5%(276)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(250)
Welsh1.2%(215)
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.5%(100)
West Indian0.5%(100)
British0.5%(90)
Hungarian0.4%(81)
Danish0.4%(65)
Belgian0.2%(41)
Croatian0.2%(40)
Czech0.2%(37)
Norwegian0.2%(37)
Canadian0.2%(36)
Russian0.1%(27)
Lithuanian0.1%(26)
Portuguese0.1%(26)
Greek0.1%(24)
Nigerian0.1%(22)
Austrian0.1%(21)
Ukrainian0.1%(21)
Jamaican0.1%(20)
Haitian0.1%(18)
Iranian0.1%(14)
Slovak0.1%(14)
Serbian0.1%(11)
Lebanese0.1%(10)
Swiss0%(9)
Section 05

Education

28.7%
+8.7 ptssince 2000
from 20.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.0%
+12.0 ptssince 2000
from 80.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
10.3%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 8.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

20.7 min
+56%since 2000
from 13.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
77.4%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 79.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
12.4%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

6.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2011
from 6.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
60.1%
+2.5 ptssince 2011
from 57.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
70.5%
US average: 73.3%
36.2%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 29.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

50.0%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 47.3% in 2009
50.0%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 52.7% in 2009
1.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
7.0%
−8.9 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
90.3%
US average: 91.9%
78.9%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married44.5%(3,440)
Married43%(3,324)
Widowed2.2%(170)
Divorced10.3%(795)
Women 15+
Never married35.1%(2,722)
Married41.7%(3,235)
Widowed10.4%(808)
Divorced12.8%(992)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

7.0%
−8.9 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
51.9%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
11.9%
US average: 13.7%
19.6%
US average: 17.6%
27.6%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
4.2%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
63.5%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
43.6%
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)21%(291)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)19.5%(271)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era31.9%(443)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War7.4%(103)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.7%(23)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,387 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 Fairmont, West Virginia?

Fairmont, West Virginia has about 18,416 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Fairmont, West Virginia earns about $45,540 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Fairmont, West Virginia expensive?

In Fairmont, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $117,000, and the typical rent is about $786 a month.

How educated are people in Fairmont, West Virginia?

About 28.7% of adults age 25 and over in Fairmont, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Fairmont, West Virginia?

About 22.4% of people in Fairmont, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Fairmont, West Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Fairmont, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,794 residents, a change of about -9 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 →