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COUNTY

Wayne County

West Virginia · 37,309 residents (2025 est.) · 506.005 sq mi
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The short version

Wayne County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $58,878. Population has declined 11% since 2000. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $127,100. With a median age of 44.8, the population is older than the US median of 38.9.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
38,164
−11%since 2000
from 42,903 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
75 / sq mi
−8%since 2009
from 82 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
44.8
+17%since 2000
from 38.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:37,309 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
38K39K41K42K43K1990201020202024Wayne County
202438K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(1,899)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.9%(1,877)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(2,525)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.8%(2,228)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(2,103)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.4%(4,364)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411%(4,204)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.4%(5,112)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.1%(5,367)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.8%(4,886)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.6%(2,899)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(700)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$58,878
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,352 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$32,910
+121%since 2000
from $14,906 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.3%
+22.2 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
14.6%
−5.0 ptssince 2000
from 19.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.462
+5%since 2010
from 0.439 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade6.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance5.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade3.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration3.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing3.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing1%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.1%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$127,100
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$915
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $382 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
78.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 78.1% in 2000
21.4% rent
Vacancy rate
13.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
11.3%
−7.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.2%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 39.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.2
−10%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
55
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Wayne County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic98.4%(42,210)
Black0.1%(53)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(202)
Asian0.2%(86)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic95.7%(36,534)
Black1%(366)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(346)
Asian0%(17)
Other2.4%(901)
Diversity Score
10
+96%since 2009
from 5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
36
+10%since 2020
from 33 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
Salvadoran0.5%(208)
Mexican0.2%(69)
Cuban0.1%(36)
Colombian0.1%(23)
Asian origin
Korean0%(11)
Chinese0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(6)
Ancestry
English20.4%(7,775)
American10.1%(3,861)
Irish8.8%(3,348)
German5.8%(2,232)
Italian1.5%(570)
Scottish1.2%(454)
Polish0.7%(253)
Arab0.5%(199)
French0.4%(144)
Welsh0.4%(136)
Finnish0.3%(129)
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data
West Indian0.3%(104)
British0.3%(102)
Czech0.3%(102)
Lebanese0.2%(75)
Dutch0.1%(47)
Norwegian0.1%(44)
Lithuanian0.1%(39)
Greek0.1%(31)
Swedish0.1%(29)
Hungarian0.1%(22)
Slovak0.1%(20)
Romanian0%(14)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Scotch-Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.2%
+7.3 ptssince 2000
from 11.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
87.5%
+17.0 ptssince 2000
from 70.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.7%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.3 min
+32%since 2000
from 19.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.8%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 84.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.4%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.7%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% 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
9.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.9%
−2.7 ptssince 2011
from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
50.8%
Unchangedsince 2011
from 50.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
17.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.6%
−16.0 ptssince 2009
from 56.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Female
51.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Foreign born
0.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.0%
−40.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
22.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2012
from 21.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.7%
−79.7 ptssince 2013
from 84.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.5%
+22.7 ptssince 2017
from 62.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
98.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 98.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2016
from 0.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30%(4,663)
Married53.5%(8,324)
Widowed3.4%(534)
Divorced13%(2,026)
Women 15+
Never married21.1%(3,435)
Married55.3%(9,028)
Widowed12.6%(2,052)
Divorced11%(1,801)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Wayne County

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Pop 36,916
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Pop 36,382
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Pop 40,953
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Pop 38,785
Places similar to Wayne County
Head to head

Compare Wayne County to nearby counties

WAYNE COUNTY VS
Lawrence County
Income$46,772−21%
Home value$111,700−12%
Population15,765−58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income$46,205−22%
Home value$105,300−17%
Population19,177−49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Boyd County
Income$61,118+4%
Home value$130,700+3%
Population47,751+28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Cabell County
Income$55,832−5%
Home value$164,400+29%
Population91,183+144%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wayne County, West Virginia?

Wayne County, West Virginia has about 38,164 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Wayne County, West Virginia earns about $58,878 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wayne County, West Virginia expensive?

In Wayne County, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $127,100, and the typical rent is about $915 a month.

How educated are people in Wayne County, West Virginia?

About 19.2% of adults age 25 and over in Wayne County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 14.6% of people in Wayne County, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wayne County, West Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Wayne County, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,472 residents, a change of about -8 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

11 census tracts
Census Tract 204Census Tract 206Census Tract 203Census Tract 205Census Tract 207Census Tract 208Census Tract 201Census Tract 209Census Tract 210Census Tract 51Census Tract 52
13 ZIP codes
ZIP 25704ZIP 25530ZIP 25570ZIP 25514ZIP 25535ZIP 25555ZIP 25517ZIP 25507ZIP 25512ZIP 25511ZIP 25669ZIP 25534ZIP 25699
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →