United States › West Virginia › Parkersburg CITY · 2020 ACS
Parkersburg West Virginia · 29,738 residents · 11.8 sq mi
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The short version
Parkersburg is a city of 29,738 people in West Virginia. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Median home value sits at $89,800. The foreign-born share is 1%. 22.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The average commute runs 17 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 41.9
US median: 38.8
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 6%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 39.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
29K 30K 32K 33K 34K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Parkersburg Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $37,933
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,990 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $16,106 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 19.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 5.6%
Public administration 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
Education & health services 0.3%
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$89,800
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,900 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$671
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $418 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 62.0% in 2000
40.0% rent
from 2.17 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.8 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 95.8%(31,710)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(269)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 90.3%(26,851)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(514)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 12.9% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 75.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 77.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 55.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 14.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 34.5%(4,202)
Women 15+
Never married 25.6%(3,203)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.8% 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) 13%(331)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.8%(350)
Share of the 2,540 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 Parkersburg Head to head
Compare Parkersburg to nearby cities PARKERSBURG VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Parkersburg, West Virginia? Parkersburg, West Virginia has about 29,738 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Parkersburg, West Virginia? The typical household in Parkersburg, West Virginia earns about $37,933 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Parkersburg, West Virginia expensive? In Parkersburg, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $89,800, and the typical rent is about $671 a month.
How educated are people in Parkersburg, West Virginia? About 16.3% of adults age 25 and over in Parkersburg, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Parkersburg, West Virginia? About 22.1% of people in Parkersburg, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Parkersburg, West Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Parkersburg, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 4,071 residents, a change of about -12 percent over that period.
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