Beckley, WV

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

113,653

1.04% 1-year decline

US Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Republican Party

US Senator

Jim Justice

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

43.3

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

20.6%

5.67% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$52,345

7.13% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$123,400

3.96% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

41,753

1.92% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Beckley, WV had a population of 114k people with a median age of 43.3 and a median household income of $52,345. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Beckley, WV declined from 114,848 to 113,653, a −1.04% decrease and its median household income grew from $48,859 to $52,345, a 7.13% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Beckley, WV are White (Non-Hispanic) (88.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (5.95%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.94%), Two+ (Hispanic) (0.661%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.531%).

None of the households in Beckley, WV reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.5% of the residents in Beckley, WV are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Beckley, WV are New River Community and Technical College (327 degrees awarded in 2022), West Virginia University Institute of Technology (189 degrees), and Academy of Careers and Technology (91 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Beckley, WV was $123,400, and the homeownership rate was 75%.

Most people in Beckley, WV drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Beckley, WV was 2 cars per household.

Beckley, WV borders Bluefield, WV-VA and Charleston, WV.

United States West Virginia

Population & Diversity

Beckley, WV is home to a population of 114k people, from which 99.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 0.991% of Beckley, WV residents were born outside of the country (1.13k people).

In 2023, there were 14.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (101k people) in Beckley, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 6.77k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 3.34k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.5%

2023 Citizenship

99.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.5% of Beckley, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Beckley, WV was 99.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Beckley, WV compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Beckley, WV

White (Non-Hispanic)
101k ± 290
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
6.77k ± 467
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
3.34k ± 527

1.57%

Hispanic Population

1.79k people

1.57% of the people in Beckley, WV are hispanic (1.79k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Beckley, WV as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for West Virginia.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
2,064 ± 1,115 people
Germany
1,923 ± 1,076 people
China
1,815 ± 1,045 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of West Virginia was Mexico, the natal country of 2,064 West Virginia residents, followed by Germany with 1,923 and China with 1,815.

Foreign-Born Population

0.991%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.13k people

0.858%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

985 people

As of 2023, 0.991% of Beckley, WV residents (1.13k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Beckley, WV was 0.858%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Beckley, WV compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
2,115 ± 303
Gulf War (2001-)
1,379 ± 329
Gulf War (1990s)
948 ± 206

Beckley, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.53 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Beckley, WV employs 41.8k people. The largest industries in Beckley, WV are Health Care & Social Assistance (7,950 people), Retail Trade (5,984 people), and Educational Services (3,854 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($89,773), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($86,316), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($63,796).

Males in West Virginia have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $50,743. The income inequality in West Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.449, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

41.8k

2023 Value

± 1,893

1.92%

1 Year growth

± 6.2%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Beckley, WV grew at a rate of 1.92%, from 41k employees to 41.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Beckley, WV, are Sales & Related Occupations (5,187 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,451 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (3,063 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Beckley, WV.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in West Virginia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

41.8k

2023 Value

± 1,893

1.92%

1 Year growth

± 6.2%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Beckley, WV grew at a rate of 1.92%, from 41k employees to 41.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Beckley, WV, are Health Care & Social Assistance (7,950 people), Retail Trade (5,984 people), and Educational Services (3,854 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Beckley, WV, though some of these residents may live in Beckley, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,366

Median earning men ± $2,674

$33,383

Median earning women ± $2,051

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($87,303), Information ($81,544), and Public Administration ($59,715).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($74,375), Information ($57,955), and Wholesale Trade ($53,000).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

Y-Axis

0.583%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 690k people employed in West Virginia. This represents a 0.583% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 15%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in West Virginia.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

177
Other Services (except Public Administration)
164
Health Care and Social Assistance
136
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$403k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$180k
Retail Trade
$170k
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2022, universities in Beckley, WV awarded 727 degrees. The student population of Beckley, WV in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 1,292 male students and 1,747 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Beckley, WV are White (597 and 83.5%), followed by Black or African American (50 and 6.99%), Unknown (31 and 4.34%), and Two or More Races (24 and 3.36%).

The largest universities in Beckley, WV by number of degrees awarded are New River Community and Technical College (327 and 45%), West Virginia University Institute of Technology (189 and 26%), and Academy of Careers and Technology (91 and 12.5%).

The most popular majors in Beckley, WV are Medical Assistant (65 and 8.94%), Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (50 and 6.88%), and General Studies (44 and 6.05%).

The median tuition costs in Beckley, WV are $15,220 for private four year colleges, and $7,848 and $19,584 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Beckley, WV, the percentage of applicants admitted was 66.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 57.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 3,039 (42.5% men and 57.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 3,039 students enrolled in Beckley, WV, 42.5% men and 57.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,421 records, of which 60.9% were women and 39.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Cosmetology
35 degrees awarded
Medical Assistant
60 degrees awarded
Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training
50 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Beckley, WV was General Cosmetology with 35 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Beckley, WV according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

New River Community and Technical College
327 degrees awarded
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
189 degrees awarded
Academy of Careers and Technology
91 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was New River Community and Technical College with 327 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 338 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Beckley, WV, which is 0.869 times less than the 389 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 597 degrees mean that there were 11.9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 50 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($15,220) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,830) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

Measure

In 2022, 0.661% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.559% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (549k), Some college (279k), and Secondary Education (210k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Beckley, WV was $123,400 in 2023, which is 0.407 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $118,700 to $123,400, a 3.96% increase. The homeownership rate in Beckley, WV is 75%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Beckley, WV have an average commute time of 25.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Beckley, WV is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Beckley, WV is $52,345. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Beckley, WV was Jefferson County, WV with a value of $95,523, followed by Putnam County, WV and Berkeley County, WV, with respective values of $77,871 and $77,329.

Housing

Property

$123,400

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,696

$33,888

Median Property Taxes

±$1,484

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Beckley, WV the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Beckley, WV compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

75%

Homeownership

2023

63%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 75% of the housing units in Beckley, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 75.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Beckley, WV compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Beckley, WV was Jefferson County, WV with a value of $95,523, followed by Putnam County, WV and Berkeley County, WV, with respective values of $77,871 and $77,329.

The following map shows all of the counties in Beckley, WV colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$52,345

Median Household Income

± $3,012

45.2k

Number of Households

± 1,851

In 2023, the median household income of the 45.2k households in Beckley, WV grew to $52,345 from the previous year's value of $48,859.

The following chart displays the households in Beckley, WV distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Beckley, WV is from West Virginia.

0.449

2022 Wage GINI in West Virginia

0.447

2021 Wage GINI in West Virginia

In 2022, the income inequality in West Virginia was 0.449 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.523% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for West Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in West Virginia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in West Virginia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (81.5%)
Carpooled (8.96%)
Worked At Home (6.46%)

In 2023, 81.5% of workers in Beckley, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.96%) and those who worked at home (6.46%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Beckley, WV have a shorter commute time (25.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.19% of the workforce in Beckley, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Beckley, WV compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Beckley, WV distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Beckley, WV have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

20.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Beckley, WV (22.4k out of 109k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 55 - 64, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Beckley, WV is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.1% of the population of Beckley, WV has health coverage, with 34.6% on employee plans, 25.2% on Medicaid, 13.9% on Medicare, 18.1% on non-group plans, and 2.27% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in West Virginia see 1273 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.236% increase from the previous year (1270 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1713 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 616 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

1,273 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in West Virginia

Primary care physicians in West Virginia see an average of 1,273 patients per year. This represents a 0.236% increase from the previous year (1,270 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in West Virginia in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.9% under 18 years, 17% between 18 and 34 years, 38% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.94%

Uninsured

34.6%

Employer Coverage

25.2%

Medicaid

13.9%

Medicare

18.1%

Non-Group

2.27%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Beckley, WV declined by 0.372% from 5.96% to 5.94%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Beckley, WV changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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