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COUNTY · 2010 ACS

McDowell County

West Virginia · 22,113 residents · 533 sq mi
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The short version

McDowell County is home to 22,113 people in West Virginia. 6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 28% national rate. 32.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $32,800. At a median age of 43.8, this is an older place than the country as a whole. That trails the West Virginia median by roughly 42%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 43.8
US median: 37.2
Less educated
6% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
22,113
−19%since 2000
from 27,329 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
43.8
+8%since 2000
from 40.5 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
533 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K21K27K32K37K19902000201020202024McDowell County
202418K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 55.4%(1,200)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 95.3%(1,177)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 145.5%(1,222)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196%(1,319)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.5%(1,206)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3411.5%(2,546)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4412.6%(2,783)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5415.8%(3,500)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6415.8%(3,502)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 749.2%(2,026)
US avg: 7%
75 to 845.3%(1,177)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.1%(455)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$22,154
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $16,931 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$12,955
+27%since 2000
from $10,174 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
6.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
32.6%
−5.1 ptssince 2000
from 37.7% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.452
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing14.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing14.1%
US avg: 0.5%
Information11.8%
US avg: 11.5%
Finance & insurance7.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical6.3%
US avg: 4.2%
Wholesale trade5.8%
US avg: 7.2%
Retail trade4.7%
US avg: 10.9%
Other services3.4%
US avg: 7%
Public administration3.3%
US avg: 4.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services1.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.7%
US avg: 3.1%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$32,800
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $20,800 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$386
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $260 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
79.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 80.1% in 2000
20.5% rent
Vacancy rate
28.9%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 30.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.67 people
+12%since 2009
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
12.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
38.4%
+3.4 ptssince 2009
from 35.0% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
1.5
+4%since 2009
from 1.4 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-Hispanic86.7%(23,695)
Black11.8%(3,234)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(132)
Asian0.1%(16)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic88.8%(19,637)
Black9.5%(2,098)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(91)
Asian0.1%(15)
Other0.7%(155)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Ancestry
Irish13.7%(3,093)
German12%(2,715)
English11.5%(2,583)
American8%(1,796)
Italian2.7%(619)
Dutch2%(441)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(256)
Polish0.7%(161)
Scottish0.5%(111)
Hungarian0.3%(78)
Greek0.3%(71)
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data
French0.3%(64)
Welsh0.2%(39)
Slovak0.1%(28)
Norwegian0.1%(26)
Latvian0.1%(23)
Swedish0.1%(22)
British0.1%(16)
Czech0%(7)
Russian0%(4)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
6.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
59.6%
+9.7 ptssince 2000
from 50.0% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
2.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2000
from 2.3% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.6 min
+10%since 2000
from 25.1 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
85.5%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 83.9% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
8.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
1.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
1.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
2.0%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
16.7%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
26.5%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
28.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Female
51.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Foreign born
0.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
8.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married40.9%(3,342)
Married39.6%(3,238)
Widowed5.4%(441)
Divorced14.1%(1,154)
Women 15+
Never married25.3%(1,788)
Married41.1%(2,906)
Widowed22.6%(1,598)
Divorced11%(779)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.8%
−10.7 ptssince 2013
from 19.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
26.3%
−8.6 ptssince 2020
from 34.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
5.0%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 4.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
31.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 31.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
51.6%
+5.3 ptssince 2020
from 46.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
30.7%
−9.4 ptssince 2020
from 40.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
74.1%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 71.0% 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)8.8%(61)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.2%(161)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era44.5%(309)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.6%(11)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1%(7)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 694 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

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Frequently asked

How many people live in McDowell County, West Virginia?

McDowell County, West Virginia has about 22,113 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in McDowell County, West Virginia earns about $22,154 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is McDowell County, West Virginia expensive?

In McDowell County, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $32,800, and the typical rent is about $386 a month.

How educated are people in McDowell County, West Virginia?

About 6.3% of adults age 25 and over in McDowell County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 32.6% of people in McDowell County, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has McDowell County, West Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, McDowell County, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 13,120 residents, a change of about -37 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 →