Parkersburg, WV

Census Place

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2024 Population
29,240
US Senator
Shelley Moore Capito
Republican Party
US Senator
Jim Justice
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
42.2
0.716% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
22.5%
2.41% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$49,025
9.74% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$121,600
6.76% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
12,483
4.26% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Parkersburg, 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 Parkersburg, WV are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Parkersburg, WV are Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing (20 degrees awarded in 2023) and Mountain State College (3 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Parkersburg, WV was $121,600, and the homeownership rate was 65%.

Most people in Parkersburg, WV drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Parkersburg, WV was 2 cars per household.

United StatesWest VirginiaWood County, WVParkersburg-Vienna, WVAthens, Washington & Meigs Counties PUMA, OHWood, Wetzel, Ritchie, Tyler, Doddridge, Pleasants, Wirt Counties PUMA, WV

Population & Diversity

Parkersburg, WV is home to a population of 29.2k people, from which 99.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.2% of Parkersburg, WV residents were born outside of the country (350 people).

In 2024, there were 27.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (26.7k people) in Parkersburg, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 973 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 460 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.5%
2024 Citizenship
99.6%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.5% of Parkersburg, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Parkersburg, WV was 99.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Parkersburg, WV
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    26.7k ± 333
  2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    973 ± 205
  3. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    460 ± 160
1.81%
Hispanic Population
530 people

In 2024, there were 27.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (26.7k people) in Parkersburg, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 973 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 460 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

1.81% of the people in Parkersburg, WV are hispanic (530 people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for West Virginia.
Most Common Origin
  1. India
    2,277 ± 1,171 people
  2. Mexico
    2,211 ± 1,154 people
  3. 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.

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Foreign-Born Population

1.2%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
350 people
1.19%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
352 people

As of 2024, 1.2% of Parkersburg, WV residents (350 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Parkersburg, WV was 1.19%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    612 ± 173
  2. Gulf War (1990s)
    281 ± 116
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    256 ± 94

Parkersburg, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.18 times greater than any other conflict.

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

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Economy

The economy of Parkersburg, WV employs 12.5k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Parkersburg, WV were Health Care & Social Assistance (2,331 people), Retail Trade (2,081 people), and Manufacturing (1,209 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($76,042), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($71,875), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($62,931).

Employment

Occupations

12.5k
2024 Value
± 854
4.26%
1 Year growth
± 9.34%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Parkersburg, WV grew at a rate of 4.26%, from 12k employees to 12.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Parkersburg, WV, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,500 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,192 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (919 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Parkersburg, WV.

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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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

12.5k
2024 Value
± 854
4.26%
1 Year growth
± 9.34%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Parkersburg, WV grew at a rate of 4.26%, from 12k employees to 12.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Parkersburg, WV, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,331 people), Retail Trade (2,081 people), and Manufacturing (1,209 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Parkersburg, WV, though some of these residents may live in Parkersburg, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$39,431
Median earning men ± $4,941
$32,374
Median earning women ± $3,691

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($72,083), Public Administration ($54,085), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($50,903).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($227,895), Information ($72,500), and Public Administration ($65,462).

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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.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Parkersburg, WV awarded 23 degrees. The student population of Parkersburg, WV in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 1 male students and 27 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Parkersburg, WV are White (23 and 100%).

The largest universities in Parkersburg, WV by number of degrees awarded are Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing (20 and 87%) and Mountain State College (3 and 13%).

The most popular majors in Parkersburg, WV are Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (20 and 87%), Medical Assistant (3 and 13%), and Substance Abuse Counseling (0 and 0%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

Measure

In 2023 in Parkersburg, WV, the percentage of applicants admitted was 83.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 100%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 28 (3.57% men and 96.4% 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.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 28 students enrolled in Parkersburg, WV, 3.57% men and 96.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 28 records, of which 96.4% were women and 3.57% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training
Most Common
20 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Parkersburg, WV was Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training with 20 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing
    20 degrees awarded
  2. Mountain State College
    3 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing with 20 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 1 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Parkersburg, WV, which is 0.0455 times less than the 22 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 23 degrees mean that there were NaNy times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 0 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private for-profit, 2-year ($8,550) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($115) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($1,630) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Parkersburg, WV was $121,600 in 2024, which is 0.365 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $113,900 to $121,600, a 6.76% increase. The homeownership rate in Parkersburg, WV is 65%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Parkersburg, WV have an average commute time of 19.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Parkersburg, WV is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$121,600
Median Property Value 2024
±$6,840
$8,653
Median Property Taxes
±$684

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

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

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Rent vs Own

65%
Homeownership
2024
63.4%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 65% of the housing units in Parkersburg, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 63.6%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$49,025
Median Household Income
± $2,505
13.3k
Number of Households
± 906

In 2024, the median household income of the 13.3k households in Parkersburg, WV grew to $49,025 from the previous year's value of $44,675.

The following chart displays the households in Parkersburg, 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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Parkersburg, 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (72.1%)
  2. Carpooled (10.2%)
  3. Worked At Home (9.87%)

In 2024, 72.1% of workers in Parkersburg, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.2%) and those who worked at home (9.87%).

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.

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Commute Time

19.2 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Parkersburg, WV have a shorter commute time (19.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.95% of the workforce in Parkersburg, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

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

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

22.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Parkersburg, WV (6.49k out of 28.9k 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 Females 35 - 44, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

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

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Health

91.4% of the population of Parkersburg, WV has health coverage, with 33% on employee plans, 30.5% on Medicaid, 15.2% on Medicare, 10.9% on non-group plans, and 1.89% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in West Virginia see 1,319 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,319 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1705 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 506 patients per year.

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

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.3% under 18 years, 18.3% between 18 and 34 years, 39.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.1% 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.

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Uninsured People

8.55%
Uninsured
33%
Employer Coverage
30.5%
Medicaid
15.2%
Medicare
10.9%
Non-Group
1.89%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Parkersburg, WV grew by 2.91% from 8.31% to 8.55%.

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

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