Ritchie County is home to 8,286 people in West Virginia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 14% of adults. The median age is 46.1, about 7 years above the US median. 84% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $115,900, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $50,582, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 25%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Ritchie County
What changed most since 1990
White share99.8% → 96.5%(−3.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Population10,233 → 8,286(−19%)US over the same years: +35%
Adults with a bachelor's degree6.0% → 14.4%(+8.5 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
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)15%(70)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)32.4%(151)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era26.4%(123)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.3%(6)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 466 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
Over time
Ritchie County, decade by decade
Ritchie County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
10,233
$41,600
$80,402
6.0%
0.6
2000
10,343
$49,789
$92,540
7.1%
4.2
2010
10,449
$46,925
$100,700
10.3%
4.1
2020
8,444
$53,727
$116,477
11.8%
9.4
2024
8,286
$50,582
$115,900
14.4%
8.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
How many people live in Ritchie County, West Virginia?
Ritchie County, West Virginia has about 8,286 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ritchie County, West Virginia?
The typical household in Ritchie County, West Virginia earns about $50,582 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ritchie County, West Virginia expensive?
In Ritchie County, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $115,900, and the typical rent is about $579 a month.
How educated are people in Ritchie County, West Virginia?
About 14.4% of adults age 25 and over in Ritchie County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ritchie County, West Virginia?
About 21.6% of people in Ritchie County, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ritchie County, West Virginia grown since 1990?
Yes, Ritchie County, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,947 residents, a change of about -19 percent over that period.
