Jefferson County, WV

County

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2023 Population

58,546

0.867% 1-year growth

US Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Republican Party

US Senator

Jim Justice

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

8.81%

3.46% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$95,523

1.9% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$324,500

6.95% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

29,019

2.22% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Jefferson County, WV had a population of 58.5k people with a median age of 41 and a median household income of $95,523. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Jefferson County, WV grew from 58,043 to 58,546, a 0.867% increase and its median household income grew from $93,744 to $95,523, a 1.9% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Jefferson County, WV are White (Non-Hispanic) (80.4%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (5.28%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (4.07%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (3.79%), and White (Hispanic) (1.7%).

None of the households in Jefferson County, 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.

97.6% of the residents in Jefferson County, WV are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Jefferson County, WV are American Public University System (15,140 degrees awarded in 2023), Shepherd University (594 degrees), and Catholic Distance University (29 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Jefferson County, WV was $324,500, and the homeownership rate was 79.2%.

Most people in Jefferson County, WV drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 37.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Jefferson County, WV was 2 cars per household.

Jefferson County, WV borders Washington County, MD, Clarke County, VA, Frederick County, VA, Loudoun County, VA, and Berkeley County, WV.

United States West Virginia Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Population & Diversity

Jefferson County, WV is home to a population of 58.5k people, from which 97.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 4.83% of Jefferson County, WV residents were born outside of the country (2.83k people).

In 2023, there were 15.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (47.1k people) in Jefferson County, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 3.09k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.38k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.6%

2023 Citizenship

98.1%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.6% of Jefferson County, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Jefferson County, WV was 98.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Jefferson County, WV

White (Non-Hispanic)
47.1k ± 290
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
3.09k ± 264
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
2.38k ± 273

7.45%

Hispanic Population

4.36k people

7.45% of the people in Jefferson County, WV are hispanic (4.36k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Jefferson County, WV as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

India
2,277 ± 1,171 people
Mexico
2,211 ± 1,154 people
Germany
1,987 ± 1,094 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of West Virginia was India, the natal country of 2,277 West Virginia residents, followed by Mexico with 2,211 and Germany with 1,987.

Foreign-Born Population

4.83%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

2.83k people

4.38%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

2.54k people

As of 2023, 4.83% of Jefferson County, WV residents (2.83k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Jefferson County, WV was 4.38%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
1,446 ± 271
Vietnam
1,075 ± 171
Gulf War (1990s)
918 ± 204

Jefferson County, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.35 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Jefferson County, WV employs 29k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Jefferson County, WV were Health Care & Social Assistance (3,375 people), Retail Trade (3,098 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (2,938 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($112,563), Public Administration ($102,068), and Information ($93,125).

Employment

Occupations

29k

2023 Value

± 1,183

2.22%

1 Year growth

± 5.61%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Jefferson County, WV grew at a rate of 2.22%, from 28.4k employees to 29k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Jefferson County, WV, are Management Occupations (3,454 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,928 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,396 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Jefferson County, 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

29k

2023 Value

± 1,183

2.22%

1 Year growth

± 5.61%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Jefferson County, WV grew at a rate of 2.22%, from 28.4k employees to 29k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Jefferson County, WV, are Health Care & Social Assistance (3,375 people), Retail Trade (3,098 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (2,938 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Jefferson County, WV, though some of these residents may live in Jefferson County, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$61,885

Median earning men ± $1,996

$43,676

Median earning women ± $2,654

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($118,486), Information ($108,750), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($89,417).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($78,424), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,184), and Manufacturing ($62,585).

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

83
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
65
Other Services (except Public Administration)
65
Construction

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$120k
Educational Services
$83.9k
Accommodation and Food Services
$59.4k
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

Education

In 2023, universities in Jefferson County, WV awarded 15,763 degrees. The student population of Jefferson County, WV in 2023 is skewed towards men, with 33,485 male students and 20,191 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Jefferson County, WV are White (8,350 and 53.7%), followed by Black or African American (2,356 and 15.1%), Hispanic or Latino (2,236 and 14.4%), and Unknown (1,269 and 8.16%).

The largest universities in Jefferson County, WV by number of degrees awarded are American Public University System (15,140 and 96%), Shepherd University (594 and 3.77%), and Catholic Distance University (29 and 0.184%).

The most popular majors in Jefferson County, WV are General Business Administration & Management (3,036 and 19.3%), General Studies (1,774 and 11.3%), and Other Health Professions & Related Clinical Sciences (864 and 5.48%).

The median tuition costs in Jefferson County, WV are $8,280 for private four year colleges, and $6,288 and $15,774 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Jefferson County, WV, the percentage of applicants admitted was 95.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 53,676 (62.4% men and 37.6% 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 2023 there were 53,676 students enrolled in Jefferson County, WV, 62.4% men and 37.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 25,958 records, of which 35.5% were women and 64.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Criminal Justice - Safety Studies
469 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
1,485 degrees awarded
General Intelligence
473 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Jefferson County, WV was Criminal Justice - Safety Studies with 469 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

American Public University System
15,140 degrees awarded
Shepherd University
594 degrees awarded
Catholic Distance University
29 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was American Public University System with 15,140 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 10,037 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Jefferson County, WV, which is 1.75 times more than the 5,726 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 8,350 degrees mean that there were 3.54 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2,356 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 for-profit, 4-year or above ($8,400) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,354) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,175) 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 2023, 0.711% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.616% 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 2023 were High School or Equivalent (563k), Some college (280k), and Secondary Education (213k).

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 Jefferson County, WV was $324,500 in 2023, which is 1.07 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $303,400 to $324,500, a 6.95% increase. The homeownership rate in Jefferson County, WV is 79.2%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Jefferson County, WV have an average commute time of 37.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Jefferson County, WV is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Jefferson County, WV is $95,523. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Jefferson County, WV was Census Tract 9725.01, Jefferson County, WV with a value of $131,893, followed by Census Tract 9726.02, Jefferson County, WV and Census Tract 9728, Jefferson County, WV, with respective values of $122,426 and $116,316.

In 2024, 12.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Jefferson County, WV. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 0.954%.

Housing

Property

$324,500

Median Property Value 2023

±$10,875

$17,416

Median Property Taxes

±$825

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 Jefferson County, WV the largest share of households pay taxes in the $2k - $3k range.

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

Rent vs Own

79.2%

Homeownership

2023

67.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 79.2% of the housing units in Jefferson County, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 79.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Jefferson County, 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 9725.01, Jefferson County, WV
Census Tract 9726.02, Jefferson County, WV
Census Tract 9728, Jefferson County, WV

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Jefferson County, WV was Census Tract 9725.01, Jefferson County, WV with a value of $131,893, followed by Census Tract 9726.02, Jefferson County, WV and Census Tract 9728, Jefferson County, WV, with respective values of $122,426 and $116,316.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Jefferson County, 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.

$95,523

Median Household Income

± $4,828

22k

Number of Households

± 942

In 2023, the median household income of the 22k households in Jefferson County, WV grew to $95,523 from the previous year's value of $93,744.

The following chart displays the households in Jefferson County, 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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.443

2023 Wage GINI in West Virginia

0.449

2022 Wage GINI in West Virginia

In 2023, the income inequality in West Virginia was 0.443 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.39% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for West Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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 (71.3%)
Worked At Home (15.7%)
Carpooled (8.22%)

In 2023, 71.3% of workers in Jefferson County, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (15.7%) and those who carpooled to work (8.22%).

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

37.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Jefferson County, WV have a longer commute time (37.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 7.73% of the workforce in Jefferson County, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 12.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Jefferson County, WV. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 0.954%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

8.81% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Jefferson County, WV (5.04k out of 57.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 55 - 64.

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

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.

Children in Poverty

In 2024, 11.7% of the children was living in poverty in Jefferson County, WV. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 3.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children 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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 187 in Jefferson County, WV. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 48.7 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

93.9% of the population of Jefferson County, WV has health coverage, with 53.8% on employee plans, 12.9% on Medicaid, 12.2% on Medicare, 12.9% on non-group plans, and 2.2% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Jefferson County, WV see 1,717 patients per year on average, which represents a 10.5% increase from the previous year (1,554 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3277 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 797 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,717 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Jefferson County, WV

Primary care physicians in Jefferson County, WV see an average of 1,717 patients per year. This represents a 10.5% increase from the previous year (1,554 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23% under 18 years, 18.2% between 18 and 34 years, 42.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

6.1%

Uninsured

53.8%

Employer Coverage

12.9%

Medicaid

12.2%

Medicare

12.9%

Non-Group

2.2%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Jefferson County, WV grew by 4.77% from 5.82% to 6.1%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 33.7 in Jefferson County, WV.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Jefferson County, WV.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 36.3% in Jefferson County, WV.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Jefferson County, WV.