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COUNTY

Pocahontas County

West Virginia · 7,602 residents (2025 est.) · 940 sq mi
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The short version

Pocahontas County is a county of 7,784 people in West Virginia. The median age is 49.5, about 11 years above the US median. Owners hold 84% of the housing stock. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. Density works out to 8 people per square mile. 1% of residents were born outside the United States.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 49.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 36%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
7,784
−15%since 2000
from 9,131 in 2000
7,602 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
8 / sq mi
−9%since 2009
from 9 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
49.5
+18%since 2000
from 41.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
940 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K8K8K9K9K19902000201020202024Pocahontas County
20248K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.7%(369)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.4%(344)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.4%(417)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(503)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.3%(254)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.1%(788)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.8%(843)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(893)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.3%(1,265)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7415.5%(1,203)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.2%(642)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.4%(263)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$42,119
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,401 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,646
+71%since 2000
from $14,384 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
28.8%
+16.3 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
22.5%
+5.4 ptssince 2000
from 17.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.443
+4%since 2010
from 0.424 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information15.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade11.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade7.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction5.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance5.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services3.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Education & health services2.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration1.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.1%
US avg: 2.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$152,400
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$715
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $355 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
83.6%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 80.3% in 2000
16.4% rent
Vacancy rate
53.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 54.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.34 people
+5%since 2009
from 2.22 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.9%
−7.7 ptssince 2009
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
29.2%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 25.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.6
+23%since 2009
from 3.0 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.
Gentrification Score
29
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic98%(8,948)
Black0.8%(71)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(39)
Asian0.1%(13)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic93.7%(7,295)
Black0.5%(42)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(131)
Asian0.1%(10)
Other3.9%(306)
Diversity Score
15
+149%since 2009
from 6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
28
−38%since 2020
from 45 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
Mexican1.3%(103)
Puerto Rican0.2%(17)
Dominican0.1%(11)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.1%(10)
Ancestry
American17.9%(1,393)
English16.8%(1,308)
Irish12.8%(994)
German10.8%(841)
Scotch-Irish4.3%(333)
Scottish2.2%(171)
Italian1.7%(129)
Dutch1.4%(109)
Polish1.2%(95)
Russian0.9%(70)
French0.7%(52)
Swedish0.5%(42)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
British0.5%(38)
Croatian0.5%(38)
Welsh0.3%(22)
Bulgarian0.2%(13)
Swiss0.2%(12)
Canadian0.1%(8)
Norwegian0.1%(7)
Armenian0.1%(4)
Arab0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.7%
+7.8 ptssince 2000
from 11.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
85.7%
+14.8 ptssince 2000
from 70.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.3%
+4.5 ptssince 2000
from 3.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.8 min
Unchangedsince 2000
from 22.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
74.6%
+3.9 ptssince 2009
from 70.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.0%
−10.6 ptssince 2009
from 20.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.1%
+4.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.9%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
11.9%
+5.5 ptssince 2011
from 6.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
43.1%
−9.1 ptssince 2011
from 52.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
56.8%
−3.8 ptssince 2020
from 60.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
17.9%
+3.7 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.9%
+9.0 ptssince 2009
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.4% in 2009
Female
47.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.6% in 2009
Foreign born
0.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
11.8%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
22.0%
−2.2 ptssince 2012
from 24.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.1%
−10.8 ptssince 2013
from 16.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
74.6%
+7.2 ptssince 2017
from 67.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
80.4%
+4.8 ptssince 2020
from 75.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
91.2%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 91.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
99.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2016
from 98.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.4%
−0.5 ptssince 2016
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33.3%(1,173)
Married46.7%(1,643)
Widowed8%(282)
Divorced12%(422)
Women 15+
Never married19.4%(607)
Married53.4%(1,674)
Widowed11.8%(369)
Divorced15.4%(484)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.1%
−10.8 ptssince 2013
from 16.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
40.1%
−7.8 ptssince 2020
from 47.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 16.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
31.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 30.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
33.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 33.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.9%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 4.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
54.9%
−7.0 ptssince 2020
from 61.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
60.6%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 59.1% 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)7.2%(54)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.8%(134)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era43.9%(330)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.6%(72)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 752 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
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Head to head

Compare Pocahontas County to nearby counties

POCAHONTAS COUNTY VS
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Income$56,184+33%
Home value$206,700+36%
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SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POCAHONTAS COUNTY VS
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Home value$200,000+31%
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POCAHONTAS COUNTY VS
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Income$43,839+4%
Home value$76,100−50%
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POCAHONTAS COUNTY VS
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Income$52,757+25%
Home value$144,800−5%
Population26,882+254%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Pocahontas County, West Virginia?

Pocahontas County, West Virginia has about 7,784 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Pocahontas County, West Virginia earns about $42,119 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Pocahontas County, West Virginia expensive?

In Pocahontas County, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $152,400, and the typical rent is about $715 a month.

How educated are people in Pocahontas County, West Virginia?

About 19.7% of adults age 25 and over in Pocahontas County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 22.5% of people in Pocahontas County, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Pocahontas County, West Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Pocahontas County, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,224 residents, a change of about -14 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 →