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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Beckley Metro

Beckley, WV · 2 counties · 126,799 residents · 1,267 sq mi
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The short version

With 126,799 people, Beckley is a metro area. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 12% of adults. The median age is 39.5, about 4 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $57,222. Owners hold 77% of the housing stock. Households take in $26,908 at the median, 37% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 39.5
US median: 35.2
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
126,799
+2%since 1990
from 124,771 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
100 / sq mi
+2%since 1990
from 98 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
39.5
+9%since 1990
from 36.2 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
1,267 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
111K116K120K124K128K19902000201020202024Beckley
2024113K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.6%(7,042)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.9%(7,501)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.1%(7,781)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.6%(8,362)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.5%(8,229)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.2%(16,688)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.9%(18,886)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5415.6%(19,823)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.8%(12,473)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.4%(10,644)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.5%(7,009)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.9%(2,361)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$26,908
+10%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $18,493 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$15,323
+58%since 1990
from $9,677 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
19.7%
−1.9 ptssince 1990
from 21.6% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$57,222
+8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $40,064 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$374
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 1990
from $284 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
76.7%
+0.9 ptssince 1990
from 75.9% in 1990
23.3% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic92.2%(115,075)
Black7.1%(8,871)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(487)
Asian0.5%(598)
2000
White, non-Hispanic90.1%(114,295)
Black7.4%(9,366)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(1,052)
Asian0.6%(707)

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%(444)
Cuban0.4%(316)
Puerto Rican0.2%(243)
Colombian0.1%(121)
Peruvian0.1%(76)
Venezuelan0.1%(65)
Spaniard0.1%(60)
Guatemalan0.1%(38)
Asian origin
Filipino0.4%(269)
Asian Indian0.2%(115)
Chinese0.1%(87)
Thai0.1%(71)
Indonesian0.1%(42)
Korean0.1%(41)
Pacific Islander origin
Guamanian0%(12)
Ancestry
English30.6%(34,441)
Irish9.6%(10,855)
German8.8%(9,899)
American8.4%(9,427)
Italian2.8%(3,173)
Scottish2.2%(2,524)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(1,253)
French1.1%(1,229)
Polish0.7%(806)
Welsh0.7%(774)
Arab0.5%(544)
Dutch0.5%(528)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.3%(334)
Hungarian0.3%(288)
Swedish0.2%(281)
Finnish0.2%(213)
British0.2%(201)
Lebanese0.2%(193)
West Indian0.2%(186)
Egyptian0.2%(178)
Jamaican0.1%(168)
Greek0.1%(158)
Russian0.1%(136)
Swiss0.1%(105)
Palestinian0.1%(104)
Canadian0.1%(92)
Czech0.1%(77)
Ukrainian0.1%(70)
Lithuanian0.1%(64)
Slovene0%(50)
Nigerian0%(32)
Slovak0%(31)
Jordanian0%(28)
Syrian0%(27)
Serbian0%(27)
Austrian0%(26)
Belgian0%(23)
Israeli0%(17)
Bulgarian0%(15)
Moroccan0%(14)
Turkish0%(11)
Croatian0%(10)
Danish0%(9)
Haitian0%(9)
Somali0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
11.9%
+1.9 ptssince 1990
from 10.0% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
70.7%
+9.9 ptssince 1990
from 60.8% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
4.4%
+0.8 ptssince 1990
from 3.7% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.4 min
−2%since 1990
from 19.9 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married22.7%(11,591)
Married64.5%(32,959)
Widowed3.2%(1,655)
Divorced9.6%(4,910)
Women 15+
Never married17.4%(9,252)
Married56%(29,842)
Widowed16.3%(8,664)
Divorced10.3%(5,485)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.5%
−9.5 ptssince 2013
from 15.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
54.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 53.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
21.3%
+8.1 ptssince 2020
from 13.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
26.9%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 26.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
31.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 31.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
5.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 6.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.5%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 60.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
55.8%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 54.6% 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)23.2%(1,463)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)22.8%(1,441)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.8%(2,135)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.8%(175)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(54)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 6,313 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
In this metro

Largest cities

BeckleyCENTRAL16,373Oak Hill7,629Shady Spring3,381Fayetteville2,721MacArthur1,493Daniels1,489Stanaford1,449Bradley1,424Prosperity1,389Ansted1,273Mabscott1,259Mount Hope1,234Montgomery1,186Crab Orchard1,139Sophia1,076Piney View986Sprague952Coal City724Beaver695Smithers694Gatewood605Gauley Bridge514Powellton479Hilltop397Falls View372Kimberly357Mount Carbon347Lester331Raleigh325Meadow Bridge307

The 30 most populous of 54 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

2 component counties

Raleigh CountyCENTRAL71,775Fayette CountyCENTRAL38,165
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Beckley

LaGrange
Pop 107,097
Gadsden
Pop 103,886
Oxford
Pop 115,834
Greenwood
Pop 95,215
Places similar to Beckley
Head to head

Compare Beckley side by side

BECKLEY VS
LaGrange
Income$54,447+102%
Home value$190,572+233%
Population107,097−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BECKLEY VS
Gadsden
Income$54,563+103%
Home value$167,100+192%
Population103,886−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BECKLEY VS
Oxford
Income$55,029+105%
Home value$156,600+174%
Population115,834+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BECKLEY VS
Greenwood
Income$52,857+96%
Home value$180,058+215%
Population95,215−13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Beckley, WV?

Beckley, WV has about 126,799 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Beckley, WV?

The typical household in Beckley, WV earns about $26,908 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Beckley, WV expensive?

In Beckley, WV, the median home is worth about $57,222, and the typical rent is about $374 a month.

How educated are people in Beckley, WV?

About 11.9% of adults age 25 and over in Beckley, WV hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Beckley, WV?

About 19.7% of people in Beckley, WV live below the federal poverty line.

Has Beckley, WV grown since 1990?

Yes, Beckley, WV has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,028 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Beckley, WV (2000): population, income & housing data · CensusEasy