Mercer County, WV

County

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2023 Population

59,062

0.786% 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

18%

4.24% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$47,799

3% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$118,600

3.04% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

22,820

1.29% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Mercer County, WV had a population of 59.1k people with a median age of 43.3 and a median household income of $47,799. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Mercer County, WV declined from 59,530 to 59,062, a −0.786% decrease and its median household income grew from $46,409 to $47,799, a 3% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mercer County, WV are White (Non-Hispanic) (88.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.16%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (4.05%), Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) (0.67%), and White (Hispanic) (0.469%).

None of the households in Mercer 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.

99.6% of the residents in Mercer County, WV are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Mercer County, WV are Concord University (450 degrees awarded in 2023), Bluefield State University (234 degrees), and Mercer County Technical Education Center (73 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Mercer County, WV was $118,600, and the homeownership rate was 69.7%.

Most people in Mercer County, WV drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Mercer County, WV was 2 cars per household.

Mercer County, WV borders Bland County, VA, Giles County, VA, Tazewell County, VA, McDowell County, WV, Raleigh County, WV, Summers County, WV, and Wyoming County, WV.

United States West Virginia Bluefield, WV-VA

Population & Diversity

Mercer County, WV is home to a population of 59.1k people, from which 99.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 0.84% of Mercer County, WV residents were born outside of the country (496 people).

In 2023, there were 21.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (52.5k people) in Mercer County, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.46k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.39k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.6%

2023 Citizenship

99.7%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.6% of Mercer County, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Mercer County, WV was 99.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mercer County, WV

White (Non-Hispanic)
52.5k ± 501
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
2.46k ± 394
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
2.39k ± 429

1.31%

Hispanic Population

771 people

1.31% of the people in Mercer County, WV are hispanic (771 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Mercer 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

0.84%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

496 people

0.781%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

465 people

As of 2023, 0.84% of Mercer County, WV residents (496 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 Mercer County, WV was 0.781%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,466 ± 255
Gulf War (1990s)
473 ± 169
Gulf War (2001-)
400 ± 162

Mercer County, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.1 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Mercer County, WV employs 22.8k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Mercer County, WV were Health Care & Social Assistance (4,716 people), Retail Trade (3,034 people), and Educational Services (2,493 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($122,995), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($81,384), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($72,133).

Employment

Occupations

22.8k

2023 Value

± 1,361

−1.29%

1 Year decline

± 8.47%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mercer County, WV declined at a rate of −1.29%, from 23.1k employees to 22.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mercer County, WV, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,356 people), Sales & Related Occupations (2,099 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (1,885 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mercer 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

22.8k

2023 Value

± 1,361

−1.29%

1 Year decline

± 8.47%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mercer County, WV declined at a rate of −1.29%, from 23.1k employees to 22.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mercer County, WV, are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,716 people), Retail Trade (3,034 people), and Educational Services (2,493 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mercer County, WV, though some of these residents may live in Mercer County, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$44,947

Median earning men ± $2,906

$31,527

Median earning women ± $2,316

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($78,309), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($71,125), and Manufacturing ($56,783).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($46,143), Information ($43,850), and Public Administration ($41,146).

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

115
Other Services (except Public Administration)
72
Retail Trade
58
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

$201k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$120k
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
$98.8k
Retail Trade

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

Education

In 2023, universities in Mercer County, WV awarded 757 degrees. The student population of Mercer County, WV in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 1,230 male students and 1,940 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mercer County, WV are White (624 and 83.8%), followed by Black or African American (71 and 9.53%), Two or More Races (26 and 3.49%), and Hispanic or Latino (11 and 1.48%).

The largest universities in Mercer County, WV by number of degrees awarded are Concord University (450 and 59.4%), Bluefield State University (234 and 30.9%), and Mercer County Technical Education Center (73 and 9.64%).

The most popular majors in Mercer County, WV are Social Work (109 and 14.4%), General Studies (90 and 11.9%), and Registered Nursing (89 and 11.8%).

The median tuition cost in Mercer County, WV for a public four year colleges is $9,170 for in-state students and $18,280 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Mercer County, WV, the percentage of applicants admitted was 89.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 3,170 (38.8% men and 61.2% 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 3,170 students enrolled in Mercer County, WV, 38.8% men and 61.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,448 records, of which 66.5% were women and 33.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Elementary Education & Teaching
34 degrees awarded
General Studies
90 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
57 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mercer County, WV was Elementary Education & Teaching with 34 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Concord University
450 degrees awarded
Bluefield State University
234 degrees awarded
Mercer County Technical Education Center
73 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Concord University with 450 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 262 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mercer County, WV, which is 0.529 times less than the 495 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 624 degrees mean that there were 8.79 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 71 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 ($9,170) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($800) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,350) 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 Mercer County, WV was $118,600 in 2023, which is 0.391 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $115,100 to $118,600, a 3.04% increase. The homeownership rate in Mercer County, WV is 69.7%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Mercer County, WV have an average commute time of 24.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mercer County, WV is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Mercer County, WV is $47,799. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mercer County, WV was Census Tract 9, Mercer County, WV with a value of $73,646, followed by Census Tract 11, Mercer County, WV and Census Tract 24, Mercer County, WV, with respective values of $64,023 and $58,611.

In 2024, 11.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mercer County, WV. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.16%.

Housing

Property

$118,600

Median Property Value 2023

±$7,003

$17,025

Median Property Taxes

±$1,016

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

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

Rent vs Own

69.7%

Homeownership

2023

65.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 69.7% of the housing units in Mercer County, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mercer 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 9, Mercer County, WV
Census Tract 11, Mercer County, WV
Census Tract 24, Mercer County, WV

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mercer County, WV was Census Tract 9, Mercer County, WV with a value of $73,646, followed by Census Tract 11, Mercer County, WV and Census Tract 24, Mercer County, WV, with respective values of $64,023 and $58,611.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Mercer 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.

$47,799

Median Household Income

± $3,257

24.4k

Number of Households

± 1,352

In 2023, the median household income of the 24.4k households in Mercer County, WV grew to $47,799 from the previous year's value of $46,409.

The following chart displays the households in Mercer 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mercer 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 (82.7%)
Carpooled (6.83%)
Worked At Home (6.36%)

In 2023, 82.7% of workers in Mercer County, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (6.83%) and those who worked at home (6.36%).

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

24.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mercer County, WV have a shorter commute time (24.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 4.01% of the workforce in Mercer County, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Mercer 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 Mercer County, WV distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mercer County, WV have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 11.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mercer County, WV. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.16%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

18% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mercer County, WV (10.4k out of 57.7k 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 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Mercer County, 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2024, 28% of the children was living in poverty in Mercer County, WV. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 3.3%.

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 461 in Mercer County, WV. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 120 per 100,000 population.

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

Health

94.3% of the population of Mercer County, WV has health coverage, with 37.8% on employee plans, 26% on Medicaid, 17.4% on Medicare, 11.3% on non-group plans, and 1.73% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mercer County, WV see 1,970 patients per year on average, which represents a 8.18% increase from the previous year (1,821 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2348 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 624 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,970 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mercer County, WV

Primary care physicians in Mercer County, WV see an average of 1,970 patients per year. This represents a 8.18% increase from the previous year (1,821 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 22.4% under 18 years, 18.5% between 18 and 34 years, 36.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.75%

Uninsured

37.8%

Employer Coverage

26%

Medicaid

17.4%

Medicare

11.3%

Non-Group

1.73%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mercer County, WV declined by 10.7% from 6.44% to 5.75%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Mercer 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 81.1 in Mercer County, WV.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mercer 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 44.4% in Mercer County, WV.

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