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COUNTY

Kanawha County

West Virginia · 172,381 residents (2025 est.) · 901.714 sq mi
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The short version

Kanawha County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $60,943. Population has declined 12% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $147,300.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% 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

Total population
176,537
−12%since 2000
from 200,073 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
196 / sq mi
−8%since 2009
from 213 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
43.8
+9%since 2000
from 40.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:172,381 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
173K183K192K201K211K1990201020202024Kanawha County
2024177K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.8%(8,527)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.3%(9,420)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.9%(10,475)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.8%(10,158)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(9,758)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.4%(21,820)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412%(21,165)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.4%(21,857)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.8%(24,303)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.3%(23,439)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.3%(11,149)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.5%(4,466)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$60,943
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,766 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,354
+84%since 2000
from $20,354 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.7%
+17.0 ptssince 2009
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
15.7%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 14.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.478
+4%since 2010
from 0.460 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services7.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration6%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance5.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Retail trade5.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade4.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing1.6%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$147,300
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$906
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $444 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.1%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 70.3% in 2000
28.9% rent
Vacancy rate
15.4%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
14.9%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.9%
+6.9 ptssince 2009
from 34.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.4
+4%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
33
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Kanawha County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic90.1%(180,258)
Black6.9%(13,870)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(1,172)
Asian0.8%(1,687)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic85.9%(151,690)
Black4.8%(8,544)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(2,789)
Asian1.1%(2,023)
Other6.5%(11,491)
Diversity Score
32
+16%since 2009
from 27 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
30
−18%since 2020
from 37 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.8%(1,468)
Puerto Rican0.3%(466)
Salvadoran0.1%(95)
Panamanian0.1%(90)
Colombian0%(85)
Cuban0%(84)
Spaniard0%(69)
Argentine0%(28)
Peruvian0%(24)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.6%(1,025)
Filipino0.2%(306)
Chinese0.1%(160)
Korean0.1%(140)
Pakistani0.1%(106)
Japanese0%(49)
Thai0%(43)
Burmese0%(28)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(13)
Ancestry
English17.1%(30,270)
Irish11.6%(20,442)
German10.8%(19,049)
American8.4%(14,795)
Italian2.9%(5,136)
Scottish2.4%(4,215)
Scotch-Irish2%(3,459)
Polish1.1%(2,007)
Dutch1.1%(1,982)
Arab0.8%(1,421)
French0.8%(1,369)
Welsh0.6%(987)
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data
British0.5%(917)
Hungarian0.5%(866)
Lebanese0.4%(782)
Greek0.4%(717)
Norwegian0.4%(659)
West Indian0.3%(485)
Russian0.3%(478)
Syrian0.3%(450)
Swedish0.2%(425)
Czech0.2%(373)
Jamaican0.1%(252)
Swiss0.1%(231)
Slovak0.1%(168)
Ukrainian0.1%(165)
Belgian0.1%(154)
Nigerian0.1%(118)
Guyanese0.1%(116)
Iranian0.1%(103)
Romanian0.1%(98)
Croatian0%(86)
Egyptian0%(80)
Danish0%(65)
Austrian0%(63)
Finnish0%(47)
Bulgarian0%(44)
Slovene0%(44)
Jordanian0%(43)
Turkish0%(36)
Canadian0%(26)
Brazilian0%(18)
Armenian0%(16)
Latvian0%(10)
Haitian0%(2)
Israeli0%(1)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.7%
+9.1 ptssince 2000
from 20.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
91.4%
+11.4 ptssince 2000
from 80.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
12.1%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.8 min
+57%since 2000
from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.3%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 80.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.7%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.6%
+6.5 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
9.5%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.6%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 7.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
55.8%
−4.8 ptssince 2011
from 60.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
18.1%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
42.2%
−23.1 ptssince 2009
from 65.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.6%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Female
51.4%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Foreign born
2.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.8%
−40.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.6%
+0.8 ptssince 2012
from 18.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.9%
−82.3 ptssince 2013
from 87.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.2%
+13.9 ptssince 2017
from 74.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
97.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 97.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 0.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33.2%(23,629)
Married50%(35,624)
Widowed3.1%(2,206)
Divorced13.7%(9,757)
Women 15+
Never married26.9%(20,709)
Married44.6%(34,265)
Widowed12.4%(9,513)
Divorced16.1%(12,412)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 181,995
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Head to head

Compare Kanawha County to nearby counties

KANAWHA COUNTY VS
Boone County
Income$57,093−6%
Home value$93,100−37%
Population20,251−88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KANAWHA COUNTY VS
Putnam County
Income$79,527+30%
Home value$223,300+52%
Population56,885−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KANAWHA COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income$42,318−31%
Home value$109,100−26%
Population7,538−96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KANAWHA COUNTY VS
Roane County
Income$45,778−25%
Home value$122,100−17%
Population13,317−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Kanawha County, West Virginia?

Kanawha County, West Virginia has about 176,537 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Kanawha County, West Virginia?

The typical household in Kanawha County, West Virginia earns about $60,943 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Kanawha County, West Virginia expensive?

In Kanawha County, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $147,300, and the typical rent is about $906 a month.

How educated are people in Kanawha County, West Virginia?

About 29.7% of adults age 25 and over in Kanawha County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Kanawha County, West Virginia?

About 15.7% of people in Kanawha County, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Kanawha County, West Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Kanawha County, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 31,082 residents, a change of about -15 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

57 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 113.02Census Tract 137.02Census Tract 11Census Tract 107.02Census Tract 108.03Census Tract 110Census Tract 123.01Census Tract 122Census Tract 21Census Tract 107.01Census Tract 15Census Tract 105Census Tract 111Census Tract 136Census Tract 128Census Tract 118Census Tract 19.02Census Tract 19.01Census Tract 6Census Tract 131
44 ZIP codes (top 30 by population)
ZIP 25177ZIP 25314ZIP 25302ZIP 25309ZIP 25313ZIP 25071ZIP 25312ZIP 25311ZIP 25064ZIP 25143ZIP 25304ZIP 25303ZIP 25306ZIP 25387ZIP 25320ZIP 25045ZIP 25015ZIP 25315ZIP 25301ZIP 25003ZIP 25202ZIP 25214ZIP 25086ZIP 25067ZIP 25035ZIP 25075ZIP 25039ZIP 25134ZIP 25160ZIP 25132
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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