United States › West Virginia › Sophia CITY
Sophia West Virginia · 1,076 residents (2025 est.) · 0.70 sq mi
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The short version
Sophia is a city of 1,528 people in West Virginia. 7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 38.0% of people here live below the federal poverty line. At a median age of 45.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $116,900. Households here earn about 39% less than in West Virginia as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
7% 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 1,301 in 2000
1,076 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,189 / sq mi
+23%since 2009
from 1,774 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
1K 1K 1K 2K 2K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sophia Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $36,080
−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,008 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,296 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 23.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.438 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.2%
Public administration 1.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.4%
Education & health services 1%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$116,900
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $54,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$870
+44%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $332 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 65.0% in 2000
41.9% rent
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 48.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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 96.2%(1,251)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91%(1,391)
from 4 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 10.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 91.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 26.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 24.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 25.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 25.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 42.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 43.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 10.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 50.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 70.4% 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) 25%(4)
Share of the 16 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Sophia, West Virginia? Sophia, West Virginia has about 1,528 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sophia, West Virginia? The typical household in Sophia, West Virginia earns about $36,080 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sophia, West Virginia expensive? In Sophia, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $116,900, and the typical rent is about $870 a month.
How educated are people in Sophia, West Virginia? About 6.6% of adults age 25 and over in Sophia, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sophia, West Virginia? About 38.0% of people in Sophia, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sophia, West Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Sophia, West Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 366 residents, a change of about 31 percent over that period.
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