Cowen, WV

Census Place

2024 Population

485

US Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Republican Party

US Senator

Jim Justice

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

36.5

0.815% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

35.9%

12.9% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$27,708

9.52% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$52,100

Population & Diversity

Cowen, WV is home to a population of 485 people, from which 100% are citizens.

In 2024, there were 8.43 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (413 people) in Cowen, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 49 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 20 Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

100%

2024 Citizenship

100%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 100% of Cowen, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Cowen, WV was 100%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been maintaining.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Cowen, WV

White (Non-Hispanic)
413 ± 150
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
49 ± 72
Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic)
20 ± 27

10.1%

Hispanic Population

49 people

10.1% of the people in Cowen, WV are hispanic (49 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Cowen, 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
2,614 ± 1,254 people
Philippines
2,231 ± 1,159 people
India
2,211 ± 1,154 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of West Virginia was Mexico, the natal country of 2,614 West Virginia residents, followed by Philippines with 2,231 and India with 2,211.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4 ± 20
Gulf War (1990s)
1 ± 13

Cowen, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Cowen, WV.

Economy

The economy of Cowen, WV employs 79 people. In 2024, the largest industries in Cowen, WV were Manufacturing (26 people), Accommodation & Food Services (15 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (15 people), and the highest paying industries were Manufacturing ($39,375), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($17,500), and Health Care & Social Assistance ($16,875).

Employment

Occupations

2024 Value

± 88

−12.2%

1 Year decline

± 169%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cowen, WV declined at a rate of −12.2%, from 90 employees to 79 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Cowen, WV, are Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (15 people), Management Occupations (12 people), and Production Occupations (12 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Cowen, WV.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

2024 Value

± 88

−12.2%

1 Year decline

± 169%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cowen, WV declined at a rate of −12.2%, from 90 employees to 79 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Cowen, WV, are Manufacturing (26 people), Accommodation & Food Services (15 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (15 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Cowen, WV, though some of these residents may live in Cowen, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$31,250

Median earning men ± $26,357

$21,250

Median earning women ± $80,943

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Manufacturing ($38,125).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($17,500).

Housing & Living

The median property value in Cowen, WV was $52,100 in 2024, which is 0.157 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $57,300 to $52,100, a 9.08% decrease. The homeownership rate in Cowen, WV is 56.5%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Cowen, WV have an average commute time of 20.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Cowen, WV is higher than the national average, with an average of 3 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$52,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$16,250

$108

Median Property Taxes

±$61

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

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

Rent vs Own

56.5%

Homeownership

2024

69.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 56.5% of the housing units in Cowen, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 64.9%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$27,708

Median Household Income

± $10,438

191

Number of Households

± 65

In 2024, the median household income of the 191 households in Cowen, WV declined from $27,708 from the previous year's value of $30,625.

The following chart displays the households in Cowen, 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 < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.443

2024 Wage GINI in West Virginia

0.443

2023 Wage GINI in West Virginia

In 2024, the income inequality in West Virginia was 0.443 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0426% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for West Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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 2024

Drove Alone (67.1%)
Carpooled (20.3%)
Walked (12.7%)

In 2024, 67.1% of workers in Cowen, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (20.3%) and those who walked to work (12.7%).

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

20.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Cowen, WV have a shorter commute time (20.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0% of the workforce in Cowen, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

3 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Cowen, WV distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Cowen, WV have 3 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

35.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Cowen, WV (174 out of 485 people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 18 - 24.

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

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

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

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

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