United States › West Virginia › Welch CITY
Welch West Virginia · 3,389 residents (2025 est.) · 6.04 sq mi
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The short version
Welch is a city of 3,507 people in West Virginia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 5% of adults. The typical home is worth $57,300, having risen by half since 2000. 28.2% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 45% less than in West Virginia as a whole. Median rent is $441 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
5% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 7%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 2,683 in 2000
3,389 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
581 / sq mi
+76%since 2009
from 330 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 44.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 2K 3K 3K 4K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Welch Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $32,969
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $19,795 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,308 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 28.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.498 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 1.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.9%
Education & health services 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$57,300
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$441
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $294 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 62.4% in 2000
24.7% rent
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.06 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 45.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.4 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 78.5%(2,105)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 64.8%(2,271)
Hispanic / Latino 9.8%(344)
from 44 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 2 more ancestry groups with data from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 62.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 88.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.3% 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 23.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 36.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 61.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 49.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 26.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 61.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 74.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 79.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 89.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 9.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 40.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 63.4% 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) 29.6%(32)
Gulf War (1990s) 53.7%(58)
Share of the 108 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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Frequently asked
How many people live in Welch, West Virginia? Welch, West Virginia has about 3,507 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Welch, West Virginia? The typical household in Welch, West Virginia earns about $32,969 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Welch, West Virginia expensive? In Welch, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $57,300, and the typical rent is about $441 a month.
How educated are people in Welch, West Virginia? About 5.0% of adults age 25 and over in Welch, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Welch, West Virginia? About 28.2% of people in Welch, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Welch, West Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Welch, West Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 438 residents, a change of about 14 percent over that period.
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