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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Kanawha County

West Virginia · 180,745 residents · 902 sq mi
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The short version

With 180,745 people, Kanawha County is a county in West Virginia. At a median age of 44.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $115,300. The foreign-born share is 2%. 26% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median rent is $749 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 44.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
180,745
−10%since 2000
from 200,073 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
44.1
+10%since 2000
from 40.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
902 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
173K183K192K201K211K19902000201020202024Kanawha County
2024177K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.9%(8,780)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.3%(9,612)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.8%(10,416)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.8%(10,403)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(9,867)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.7%(21,221)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.2%(22,092)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.5%(22,627)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.9%(27,009)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7413%(23,452)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846%(10,903)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.4%(4,363)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$47,122
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,766 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$29,981
+47%since 2000
from $20,354 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
30.1%
+7.3 ptssince 2009
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
17.2%
+2.8 ptssince 2000
from 14.4% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information11.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services6.7%
US avg: 6.6%
Retail trade5.6%
US avg: 10%
Public administration5.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance5.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Wholesale trade4.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.9%
US avg: 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
US avg: 1.7%
Manufacturing1.7%
US avg: 0.5%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.8%
Construction0.1%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$115,300
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$749
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $444 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
67.7%
−2.6 ptssince 2000
from 70.3% in 2000
32.3% rent
Persons per household
2.28 people
+1%since 2009
from 2.26 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.4
+5%since 2009
from 2.3 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-Hispanic90.1%(180,258)
Black6.9%(13,870)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(1,172)
Asian0.8%(1,687)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic84.5%(152,735)
Black7.4%(13,416)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(2,720)
Asian1.2%(2,138)
Other3.5%(6,387)
Segregation Score
37
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
Mexican0.4%(756)
Puerto Rican0.3%(469)
Cuban0.1%(231)
Dominican0.1%(97)
Spaniard0%(84)
Argentine0%(33)
Colombian0%(12)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(781)
Pakistani0.2%(391)
Filipino0.2%(364)
Chinese0.1%(227)
Japanese0.1%(136)
Nepalese0.1%(124)
Korean0%(80)
Thai0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(10)
Ancestry
American13.6%(24,543)
German11.9%(21,516)
Irish11.1%(20,152)
English11%(19,863)
Italian2.8%(5,151)
Scotch-Irish2.2%(3,940)
Scottish2.2%(3,931)
French1.3%(2,417)
Polish1.1%(1,959)
Dutch1.1%(1,906)
British0.9%(1,612)
Welsh0.8%(1,367)
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.5%(923)
Lebanese0.4%(771)
Swedish0.4%(660)
Syrian0.3%(631)
Norwegian0.3%(627)
Greek0.3%(505)
Slovak0.2%(335)
Russian0.1%(254)
Iranian0.1%(251)
Swiss0.1%(221)
Danish0.1%(220)
West Indian0.1%(220)
Czech0.1%(189)
Canadian0.1%(169)
Belgian0.1%(152)
Austrian0.1%(127)
Jamaican0.1%(120)
Nigerian0.1%(104)
Slovene0.1%(103)
Ukrainian0%(68)
Haitian0%(68)
Guyanese0%(65)
Romanian0%(61)
Finnish0%(59)
Arab0%(57)
Ethiopian0%(48)
Turkish0%(45)
Croatian0%(42)
Armenian0%(31)
Brazilian0%(29)
Serbian0%(8)
Israeli0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.4%
+5.8 ptssince 2000
from 20.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
89.3%
+9.3 ptssince 2000
from 80.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
10.5%
+2.4 ptssince 2000
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.4 min
+54%since 2000
from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
81.8%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 80.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
10.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.7%
−1.6 ptssince 2011
from 7.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
55.6%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 60.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.7%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
38.3%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 35.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Female
51.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Foreign born
1.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
5.7%
−7.1 ptssince 2013
from 12.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
87.7%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
89.7%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.7%
−7.1 ptssince 2013
from 12.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
55.0%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
9.8%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
24.4%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
27.1%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.2%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
62.9%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
47.9%
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)18.3%(2,060)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)17.7%(1,986)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era37.1%(4,167)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War8.7%(980)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.8%(314)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 11,240 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Kanawha County to nearby counties

KANAWHA COUNTY VS
Boone County
Income$57,093+21%
Home value$93,100−19%
Population20,251−88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KANAWHA COUNTY VS
Putnam County
Income$79,527+69%
Home value$223,300+94%
Population56,885−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KANAWHA COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income$42,318−10%
Home value$109,100−5%
Population7,538−96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KANAWHA COUNTY VS
Roane County
Income$45,778−3%
Home value$122,100+6%
Population13,317−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Kanawha County, West Virginia?

Kanawha County, West Virginia has about 180,745 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Kanawha County, West Virginia earns about $47,122 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 $115,300, and the typical rent is about $749 a month.

How educated are people in Kanawha County, West Virginia?

About 26.4% 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 17.2% 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 26,874 residents, a change of about -13 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 →