COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Preston County

West Virginia · 29,037 residents · 649 sq mi

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Preston County is home to 29,037 people in West Virginia. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. 8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 20% national rate. Median home value sits at $44,000. Median rent is $250 a month. Median household income is $19,940, under the $30,130 national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 34.5

US median: 33.0

Less educated

8% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

29,037

−1%vs 2000

vs 29,334 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

34.5

−12%vs 2000

vs 39.1 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

649 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202434K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.4%(1,853)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97%(2,044)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.9%(2,574)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.6%(2,206)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246%(1,732)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.9%(4,327)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4415.4%(4,483)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.4%(3,030)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.4%(2,715)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 748.2%(2,387)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 844.5%(1,300)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.3%(386)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$19,940

−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $27,927 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,158

−33%vs 2000

vs $13,596 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

18.9%

+0.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 18.3% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$44,000

+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $56,700 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$250

−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $336 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

81.3%

−1.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 83.0% in 2000

18.7% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic98.3%(28,845)

Black0.3%(82)

Hispanic / Latino0.6%(168)

Asian0.1%(43)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.2%(28,797)

Black0.4%(120)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(63)

Asian0.2%(53)

Other0.2%(67)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican0.4%(139)

Puerto Rican0.2%(59)

Cuban0%(13)

Central American0%(9)

Costa Rican0%(9)

Spaniard0%(8)

South American0%(6)

Peruvian0%(3)

Venezuelan0%(3)

Asian origin

Sri Lankan0.2%(55)

Filipino0.1%(43)

Chinese0%(17)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0%(10)

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)

Subsaharan African0.2%(75)

Greek0.2%(69)

Slovak0.2%(66)

Ukrainian0.1%(36)

Norwegian0.1%(30)

West Indian0.1%(27)

Haitian0.1%(18)

Croatian0%(16)

Macedonian0%(15)

Austrian0%(12)

Slovene0%(12)

Arab0%(11)

Iranian0%(9)

Ghanaian0%(9)

Jamaican0%(9)

Danish0%(8)

Armenian0%(6)

Serbian0%(6)

French Canadian0%(4)

Lebanese0%(2)

Czech0%(2)

Nigerian0%(2)

RANKED:Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

8.3%

−2.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.8% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

62.7%

−11.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 74.0% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.4%

−1.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.6% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

25.3 min

+17%vs 2000

vs 21.6 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

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

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

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

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