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COUNTY

Webster County

West Virginia · 7,760 residents (2025 est.) · 553 sq mi
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The short version

Webster County is home to 8,144 people in West Virginia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 13% of adults. The median age is 47.7, about 9 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $76,100, having more than doubled since 2000. 0% of residents were born outside the United States. There are 15 people per square mile.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% 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
8,144
−16%since 2000
from 9,719 in 2000
7,760 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
15 / sq mi
−14%since 2009
from 17 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
47.7
+18%since 2000
from 40.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
553 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K9K9K10K11K19902000201020202024Webster County
20248K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.6%(373)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 93.9%(320)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.9%(644)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.2%(424)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.8%(392)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 349.6%(782)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.3%(839)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.3%(1,082)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415.3%(1,243)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7415.3%(1,246)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.4%(604)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.4%(195)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$43,839
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $21,055 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,990
+103%since 2000
from $12,284 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
24.6%
+14.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
23.3%
−8.5 ptssince 2000
from 31.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.490
+11%since 2010
from 0.440 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing21.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction12.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Information11.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Manufacturing9.4%
US avg: 0.4%
Retail trade6.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance6.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade3.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Education & health services3.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Other services3.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration2.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing0.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$76,100
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$709
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $285 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
77.3%
−1.7 ptssince 2000
from 79.0% in 2000
22.7% rent
Vacancy rate
33.9%
+10.9 ptssince 2009
from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.79 people
+28%since 2009
from 2.18 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
14.2%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
42.1%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 37.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
1.7
−12%since 2009
from 2.0 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
35
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%(9,605)
Black0%(1)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(36)
Asian0.1%(6)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic93.2%(7,588)
Black0.1%(11)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(66)
Asian0%(0)
Other5.9%(479)
Diversity Score
16
+277%since 2009
from 4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
31
−30%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
Puerto Rican0.6%(49)
Cuban0%(1)
Ancestry
German14.9%(1,210)
English11.8%(964)
Irish10.9%(885)
American9.6%(780)
Italian2.8%(230)
Scottish2.8%(225)
Dutch2.4%(193)
Scotch-Irish2.1%(173)
Polish0.4%(36)
French0.3%(28)
Austrian0.3%(25)
+ 7 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.2%(18)
Greek0.1%(5)
Swedish0%(2)
Swiss0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
12.9%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
81.6%
+23.4 ptssince 2000
from 58.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
3.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 3.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
29.6 min
+26%since 2000
from 23.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
82.3%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 78.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.8%
−8.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
3.0%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.1%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
13.0%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
9.2%
−2.7 ptssince 2011
from 11.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
44.0%
−6.1 ptssince 2011
from 50.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
55.7%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 53.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.5%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
22.7%
+6.8 ptssince 2009
from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
51.0%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
49.0%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
0.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.6%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
25.3%
+3.6 ptssince 2012
from 21.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.8%
−12.4 ptssince 2013
from 18.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
80.6%
+16.2 ptssince 2017
from 64.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
87.7%
+9.1 ptssince 2020
from 78.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
93.9%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 91.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
99.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 99.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 0.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.4%(1,097)
Married49.8%(1,739)
Widowed5%(173)
Divorced13.8%(480)
Women 15+
Never married20.6%(685)
Married56%(1,859)
Widowed11.8%(392)
Divorced11.5%(382)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.8%
−12.4 ptssince 2013
from 18.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
34.5%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 31.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.9%
+6.1 ptssince 2020
from 5.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
28.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 28.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
42.0%
−4.2 ptssince 2020
from 46.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
46.2%
+8.4 ptssince 2020
from 37.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
64.3%
−4.4 ptssince 2020
from 68.7% 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)19.8%(111)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.3%(153)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era53.5%(300)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5%(28)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 561 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 Webster County to nearby counties

WEBSTER COUNTY VS
Braxton County
Income$50,331+15%
Home value$117,900+55%
Population11,885+53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEBSTER COUNTY VS
Nicholas County
Income$54,639+25%
Home value$121,600+60%
Population23,848+207%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEBSTER COUNTY VS
Pocahontas County
Income$42,119−4%
Home value$152,400+100%
Population7,602−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEBSTER COUNTY VS
Upshur County
Income$54,338+24%
Home value$170,800+124%
Population23,758+206%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Webster County, West Virginia?

Webster County, West Virginia has about 8,144 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Webster County, West Virginia earns about $43,839 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Webster County, West Virginia expensive?

In Webster County, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $76,100, and the typical rent is about $709 a month.

How educated are people in Webster County, West Virginia?

About 12.9% of adults age 25 and over in Webster County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 23.3% of people in Webster County, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Webster County, West Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Webster County, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,585 residents, a change of about -24 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 →

Webster County, West Virginia: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy