Wetzel County is home to 14,078 people in West Virginia. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 83% of homes are owner-occupied. At a median age of 45.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $107,900. The foreign-born share is 0%.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $56,836, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Wetzel County
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$122,644 → $107,900(−12%)US over the same years: +67%
Population19,258 → 14,078(−27%)US over the same years: +35%
White share99.5% → 93.7%(−5.8 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 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)12.7%(121)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.2%(221)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.4%(403)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.2%(21)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 951 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
Wetzel County, decade by decade
Wetzel 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
19,258
$51,709
$122,644
10.4%
1.2
2000
17,693
$56,353
$109,117
10.4%
3.6
2010
16,583
$52,703
$118,251
12.6%
3.9
2020
14,442
$53,983
$117,568
12.6%
12.4
2024
14,078
$56,836
$107,900
17.1%
14.9
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 Wetzel County, West Virginia?
Wetzel County, West Virginia has about 14,078 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wetzel County, West Virginia?
The typical household in Wetzel County, West Virginia earns about $56,836 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wetzel County, West Virginia expensive?
In Wetzel County, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $107,900, and the typical rent is about $688 a month.
How educated are people in Wetzel County, West Virginia?
About 17.1% of adults age 25 and over in Wetzel County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wetzel County, West Virginia?
About 16.0% of people in Wetzel County, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wetzel County, West Virginia grown since 1990?
Yes, Wetzel County, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 5,180 residents, a change of about -27 percent over that period.
