County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Kanawha County
- What is the median household income in Kanawha County?
- The median household income in Kanawha County is $58,887 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Kanawha County?
- The poverty rate in Kanawha County is 12.3% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Kanawha County?
- $135,000 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Kanawha County?
- The median gross rent in Kanawha County is $879 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Kanawha County residents have a college degree?
- 29.3% of adults in Kanawha County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
178,198
Median Income
$58,887
Median Home Value
$135,000
Poverty Rate
12.3%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
5.5%
Median Age
43.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$12,248 (+26.3%)
Home Value:
+$22,500 (+20%)
Poverty Rate:
-1.2 pp (-8.9%)
Bachelor's+:
+3.8 pp (+14.9%)
Unemployment:
-0.4 pp (-6.8%)
Demographics
Total Population
178,198
Median Age
43.0
Female
51.5%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%
White (non-Hisp.) 86.2%
Black 6.2%
Asian 1.2%
Two or More 5.2%
Other 0.4%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Indian
0.6%
Filipino
0.2%
Chinese
0.1%
Korean
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
0.6%
Puerto Rican
0.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$58,887
±$1,679
+$970 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$86,630
Median Family Income
$76,439
Poverty Rate
12.3%
+0.4 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
19.3%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
15.6%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
30.2%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
5.9%
$10–15k
6.0%
$15–25k
10.1%
$25–35k
8.2%
$35–50k
12.6%
$50–75k
18.3%
$75–100k
12.9%
$100–150k
14.4%
$150–200k
5.7%
$200k+
6.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
90,388
Owner-Occupied
70.2%
Renter-Occupied
29.8%
Vacancy Rate
15.0%
Median Home Value
$135,000
-$20,600 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$879
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
14.5%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
36.8%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
12.9%
$50–100k
21.3%
$100–200k
21.4%
$200–300k
16.5%
$300–500k
8.4%
$500k–$1M
2.8%
$1M+
1.2%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
15.9%
$500–1k
47.2%
$1–1.5k
30.9%
$1.5–2k
3.9%
$2–2.5k
1.0%
$2.5–3.5k
0.7%
$3.5k+
0.5%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
10.3%
1 vehicle
39.7%
2 vehicles
35.6%
3+
14.4%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
69.2%
Single-fam. att.
2.2%
2–4 units
2.5%
5–19 units
3.6%
20+ units
5.2%
Mobile home
10.0%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
13.8%
1940–1969
11.1%
1970–1999
15.2%
2000–2009
6.7%
2010+
3.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
90.7%
Bachelor's or Higher
29.3%
+6.0 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
12.1%
Some College / Associate
17.8%
Less Than High School
2.6%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
55.8%
Unemployment Rate
5.5%
-0.2 pp vs. state
Work from Home
8.3%
Self-Employed
3.9%
Government Workers
19.7%
Private For-Profit
76.1%
Industry
Edu/Health
27.8%
Retail
11.6%
Prof. Services
9.9%
Public Admin
9.0%
Arts/Entmt.
8.7%
Finance
6.9%
Manufacturing
5.4%
Transportation
5.2%
Construction
4.8%
Agriculture
2.1%
Information
1.7%
Wholesale
1.7%
Occupation
Management
40.9%
Sales
22.5%
Food Prep
18.3%
Production
11.2%
Construction
7.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
22.5 min
Drove Alone
77.9%
Carpool
8.0%
Public Transit
1.7%
Work from Home
8.3%
Walked
2.8%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
76,806
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
42.3%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
13.8%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
5.0%
5–9
5.4%
10–14
6.0%
15–19
5.7%
20–24
5.4%
25–34
12.3%
35–44
12.0%
45–54
12.4%
55–64
7.0%
65–74
7.1%
75–84
13.1%
85+
6.1%
Under 18: 20.0%
Working age (18–64): 80.0%
65 and over: 21.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
1.8%
Naturalized Citizen
59.9%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
0.5%
Foreign-Born Origin
Asia
59.0%
Latin America
15.2%
Europe
12.8%
Africa
5.4%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
7.0%
With a Disability
19.7%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
95.3%
Uninsured
4.7%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
86.2%
Has a Computer
91.7%
Same House 1 Year Ago
90.9%
Moved from Abroad
0.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Kanawha County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Kanawha County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Other flows - South | 766 | 1,268 |
| Putnam County | 515 | 885 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 252 | 413 |
| Cabell County | 186 | 262 |
| Other flows - Northeast | 176 | 301 |
| Other flows - West | 174 | 321 |
| Boone County | 100 | 172 |
| Fayette County | 98 | 162 |
| Jackson County | 87 | 161 |
| Raleigh County | 82 | 133 |