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COUNTY

Preston County

West Virginia · 34,004 residents (2025 est.) · 649 sq mi
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The short version

Preston County is a county of 34,160 people in West Virginia. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $162,800. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. At a median age of 43.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 58%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
34,160
+16%since 2000
from 29,334 in 2000
34,004 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
53 / sq mi
+13%since 2009
from 47 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
43.3
+11%since 2000
from 39.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
649 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
29K30K32K33K35K19902000201020202024Preston County
202434K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.5%(1,536)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.4%(1,511)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.7%(1,955)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.7%(1,597)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.1%(1,730)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.3%(4,870)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.1%(4,802)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.2%(4,496)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.7%(4,677)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.6%(4,299)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.9%(1,999)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(688)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$61,880
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,927 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$29,033
+114%since 2000
from $13,596 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
41.2%
+24.9 ptssince 2009
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
13.8%
−4.6 ptssince 2000
from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.408
+1%since 2010
from 0.404 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade7.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance6.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing4.6%
US avg: 0.4%
Professional, scientific, technical3.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Education & health services2.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Public administration1.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Construction1.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$162,800
+58%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $56,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$750
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $336 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
81.5%
−1.5 ptssince 2000
from 83.0% in 2000
18.5% rent
Vacancy rate
15.6%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.37 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.40 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
15.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
36.6%
+7.5 ptssince 2009
from 29.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.6
+19%since 2009
from 2.2 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
57
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic98.3%(28,845)
Black0.3%(82)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(168)
Asian0.1%(43)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic87.3%(29,815)
Black6.5%(2,208)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(661)
Asian0.4%(125)
Other4%(1,351)
Diversity Score
29
+142%since 2009
from 12 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
58
−16%since 2020
from 70 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
Mexican0.4%(139)
Puerto Rican0.2%(59)
Cuban0%(13)
Asian origin
Sri Lankan0.2%(55)
Filipino0.1%(43)
Chinese0%(17)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American18.3%(6,264)
German17.9%(6,108)
English10%(3,420)
Irish9.9%(3,398)
Italian3.4%(1,158)
Polish2.3%(778)
Scottish1.8%(626)
Dutch1.1%(392)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(363)
French1%(339)
Welsh0.3%(117)
Swedish0.3%(109)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Swiss0.3%(105)
Lithuanian0.3%(103)
British0.3%(100)
Russian0.3%(87)
Hungarian0.2%(81)
Portuguese0.2%(77)
Greek0.2%(69)
Slovak0.2%(66)
Ukrainian0.1%(36)
Norwegian0.1%(30)
West Indian0.1%(27)
Haitian0.1%(18)
Croatian0%(16)
Austrian0%(12)
Slovene0%(12)
Arab0%(11)
Iranian0%(9)
Danish0%(8)
Serbian0%(6)
Czech0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
17.5%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 10.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.2%
+12.3 ptssince 2000
from 74.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.4%
+1.8 ptssince 2000
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
31.1 min
+44%since 2000
from 21.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.1%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 77.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
12.8%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.6%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.7%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.3%
−1.5 ptssince 2011
from 6.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
49.8%
−5.5 ptssince 2011
from 55.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
66.2%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 64.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.2%
+6.8 ptssince 2009
from 21.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
53.3%
+3.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
46.7%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
1.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.8%
−5.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
18.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2012
from 18.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.9%
−7.6 ptssince 2013
from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.4%
+14.6 ptssince 2017
from 71.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
91.1%
+6.0 ptssince 2020
from 85.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.0%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 89.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
98.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2016
from 97.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.4%
−0.8 ptssince 2016
from 2.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.3%(5,520)
Married49.9%(7,800)
Widowed3.7%(578)
Divorced11%(1,720)
Women 15+
Never married21.9%(2,966)
Married54.4%(7,361)
Widowed13.1%(1,773)
Divorced10.6%(1,440)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.9%
−7.6 ptssince 2013
from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
54.8%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 57.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.9%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 24.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
24.5%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 22.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
64.9%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 67.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.4%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 43.4% 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)23.9%(459)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)32.8%(630)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era30.5%(585)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.9%(74)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(11)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,921 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 Preston County to nearby counties

PRESTON COUNTY VS
Garrett County
Income$67,688+9%
Home value$235,300+45%
Population28,370−17%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PRESTON COUNTY VS
Taylor County
Income$57,795−7%
Home value$148,800−9%
Population16,287−52%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PRESTON COUNTY VS
Monongalia County
Income$65,346+6%
Home value$267,700+64%
Population107,991+218%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PRESTON COUNTY VS
Tucker County
Income$53,358−14%
Home value$154,800−5%
Population6,540−81%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Preston County, West Virginia?

Preston County, West Virginia has about 34,160 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Preston County, West Virginia earns about $61,880 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Preston County, West Virginia expensive?

In Preston County, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $162,800, and the typical rent is about $750 a month.

How educated are people in Preston County, West Virginia?

About 17.5% of adults age 25 and over in Preston County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 13.8% of people in Preston County, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Preston County, West Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Preston County, West Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,123 residents, a change of about 18 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 →