Bluefield, WV

Census Place

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2023 Population

9,511

1.12% 1-year decline

US Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Republican Party

US Senator

Jim Justice

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

41.2

6.15% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

20.1%

11.3% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$43,826

4.42% 1-year decline

2023 Median Property Value

$101,000

6.99% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

3,749

0.16% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Bluefield, WV had a population of 9.51k people with a median age of 41.2 and a median household income of $43,826. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Bluefield, WV declined from 9,619 to 9,511, a −1.12% decrease and its median household income declined from $45,854 to $43,826, a −4.42% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Bluefield, WV are White (Non-Hispanic) (75%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (15%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (6.1%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.63%), and Black or African American (Hispanic) (0.883%).

None of the households in Bluefield, 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.

99.1% of the residents in Bluefield, WV are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Bluefield, WV are Bluefield State University (250 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Bluefield, WV was $101,000, and the homeownership rate was 54.6%.

Most people in Bluefield, WV drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22 minutes. The average car ownership in Bluefield, WV was 2 cars per household.

United States West Virginia Mercer County, WV Bluefield, WV-VA Mount Rogers Planning District Commission PUMA, VA LENOWISCO & Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commissions PUMA, VA Mercer, Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers, Webster, Pocahontas Counties PUMA, WV

Population & Diversity

Bluefield, WV is home to a population of 9.51k people, from which 99.1% are citizens. As of 2023, 1.48% of Bluefield, WV residents were born outside of the country (141 people).

In 2023, there were 5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (7.13k people) in Bluefield, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.43k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 580 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.1%

2023 Citizenship

99.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.1% of Bluefield, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Bluefield, WV was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bluefield, WV

White (Non-Hispanic)
7.13k ± 377
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.43k ± 351
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
580 ± 226

3.04%

Hispanic Population

289 people

3.04% of the people in Bluefield, WV are hispanic (289 people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place 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

1.48%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

141 people

1.92%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

185 people

As of 2023, 1.48% of Bluefield, WV residents (141 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 Bluefield, WV was 1.92%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
117 ± 73
Gulf War (2001-)
29 ± 40
Gulf War (1990s)
13 ± 26

Bluefield, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4.03 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Bluefield, WV employs 3.75k people. The largest industries in Bluefield, WV are Health Care & Social Assistance (796 people), Educational Services (601 people), and Retail Trade (580 people), and the highest paying industries are Construction ($60,432), Educational Services ($53,224), and Manufacturing ($49,044).

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

3.75k

2023 Value

± 506

−0.16%

1 Year decline

± 18.9%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bluefield, WV declined at a rate of −0.16%, from 3.76k employees to 3.75k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bluefield, WV, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (535 people), Sales & Related Occupations (527 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (506 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bluefield, 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

3.75k

2023 Value

± 506

−0.16%

1 Year decline

± 18.9%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bluefield, WV declined at a rate of −0.16%, from 3.76k employees to 3.75k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bluefield, WV, are Health Care & Social Assistance (796 people), Educational Services (601 people), and Retail Trade (580 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bluefield, WV, though some of these residents may live in Bluefield, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,601

Median earning men ± $5,580

$30,130

Median earning women ± $5,328

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($121,354), Construction ($60,432), and Manufacturing ($56,776).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($45,321), Public Administration ($44,526), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($43,187).

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.

Education

In 2022, universities in Bluefield, WV awarded 250 degrees. The student population of Bluefield, WV in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 528 male students and 778 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Bluefield, WV are White (221 and 88.4%), followed by Black or African American (16 and 6.4%), Two or More Races (8 and 3.2%), and Asian (3 and 1.2%).

The largest universities in Bluefield, WV by number of degrees awarded are Bluefield State University (250 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Bluefield, WV are Registered Nursing (95 and 38%), General Studies (22 and 8.8%), and Civil Engineering Technology (20 and 8%).

The median tuition cost in Bluefield, WV for a public four year colleges is $8,840 for in-state students and $16,030 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Bluefield, WV, the percentage of applicants admitted was 97.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 1,306 (40.4% men and 59.6% 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 1,306 students enrolled in Bluefield, WV, 40.4% men and 59.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 983 records, of which 64.8% were women and 35.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
24 degrees awarded
General Studies
22 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
16 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Bluefield, WV was Registered Nursing with 24 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Bluefield, WV according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Bluefield State University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

250 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Bluefield State University with 250 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 98 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Bluefield, WV, which is 0.645 times less than the 152 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 221 degrees mean that there were 13.8 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 16 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

Public, 4-year or above ($8,840) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,000) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,500) 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 Bluefield, WV was $101,000 in 2023, which is 0.333 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $94,400 to $101,000, a 6.99% increase. The homeownership rate in Bluefield, WV is 54.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Bluefield, WV have an average commute time of 22 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bluefield, WV is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Bluefield, WV is $43,826. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Bluefield, WV was Census Tract 24 with a value of $58,611, followed by Census Tract 22 and Census Tract 21, with respective values of $52,117 and $42,390.

Housing

Property

$101,000

Median Property Value 2023

±$12,461

$2,165

Median Property Taxes

±$349

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 Bluefield, WV the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

54.6%

Homeownership

2023

65.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 54.6% of the housing units in Bluefield, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 57.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bluefield, 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)

Census Tract 24
Census Tract 22
Census Tract 21

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Bluefield, WV was Census Tract 24 with a value of $58,611, followed by Census Tract 22 and Census Tract 21, with respective values of $52,117 and $42,390.

The following map shows all of the places in Bluefield, 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.

$43,826

Median Household Income

± $5,159

3.97k

Number of Households

± 521

In 2023, the median household income of the 3.97k households in Bluefield, WV declined from $43,826 from the previous year's value of $45,854.

The following chart displays the households in Bluefield, 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 Bluefield, 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 (79.4%)
Carpooled (8.2%)
Worked At Home (7.41%)

In 2023, 79.4% of workers in Bluefield, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.2%) and those who worked at home (7.41%).

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

22 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bluefield, WV have a shorter commute time (22 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 4.13% of the workforce in Bluefield, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

20.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bluefield, WV (1.87k out of 9.32k 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 Females 45 - 54, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bluefield, 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

91.1% of the population of Bluefield, WV has health coverage, with 28.3% on employee plans, 35.7% on Medicaid, 13.7% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 0.236% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mercer County, WV see 1821 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.38% increase from the previous year (1728 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2273 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 657 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Mercer County, WV.

1,821 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mercer County, WV

Primary care physicians in Mercer County, WV see an average of 1,821 patients per year. This represents a 5.38% increase from the previous year (1,728 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.9% under 18 years, 20.9% between 18 and 34 years, 36.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 41.8% were men and 58.2% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.86%

Uninsured

28.3%

Employer Coverage

35.7%

Medicaid

13.7%

Medicare

13.3%

Non-Group

0.236%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bluefield, WV declined by 24.5% from 11.7% to 8.86%.

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

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