Wood County, WV

County

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2024 Population

83,407

US Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Republican Party

US Senator

Jim Justice

Republican Party

2024 Poverty Rate

14.7%

0.318% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$57,810

2.88% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$158,500

3.12% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

36,171

1.57% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Wood 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.

99.7% of the residents in Wood County, WV are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Wood County, WV are West Virginia University at Parkersburg (611 degrees awarded in 2023), Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing (20 degrees), and Mountain State College (3 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Wood County, WV was $158,500, and the homeownership rate was 75.1%.

Most people in Wood County, WV drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Wood County, WV was 2 cars per household.

Wood County, WV borders Athens County, OH, Meigs County, OH, Washington County, OH, Jackson County, WV, Pleasants County, WV, Ritchie County, WV, and Wirt County, WV.

United States West Virginia Parkersburg-Vienna, WV

Population & Diversity

Wood County, WV is home to a population of 83.4k people, from which 99.7% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.03% of Wood County, WV residents were born outside of the country (859 people).

In 2024, there were 41.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (78.1k people) in Wood County, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.87k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 936 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.7%

2024 Citizenship

99.6%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.7% of Wood County, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Wood County, WV was 99.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wood County, WV

White (Non-Hispanic)
78.1k ± 259
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
1.87k ± 231
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
936 ± 193

1.48%

Hispanic Population

1.23k people

1.48% of the people in Wood County, WV are hispanic (1.23k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Wood 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

1.03%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

859 people

1.03%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

860 people

As of 2024, 1.03% of Wood County, WV residents (859 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 Wood County, WV was 1.03%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,771 ± 226
Gulf War (2001-)
1,132 ± 242
Gulf War (1990s)
726 ± 188

Wood County, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.56 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Economy

The economy of Wood County, WV employs 36.2k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Wood County, WV were Health Care & Social Assistance (6,595 people), Retail Trade (4,761 people), and Manufacturing (3,488 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($76,902), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($75,924), and Utilities ($73,047).

Employment

Occupations

36.2k

2024 Value

± 1,457

1.57%

1 Year growth

± 5.67%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wood County, WV grew at a rate of 1.57%, from 35.6k employees to 36.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wood County, WV, are Sales & Related Occupations (4,034 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,901 people), and Management Occupations (3,371 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wood 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

36.2k

2024 Value

± 1,457

1.57%

1 Year growth

± 5.67%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wood County, WV grew at a rate of 1.57%, from 35.6k employees to 36.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wood County, WV, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,595 people), Retail Trade (4,761 people), and Manufacturing (3,488 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wood County, WV, though some of these residents may live in Wood County, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$49,217

Median earning men ± $2,275

$36,068

Median earning women ± $2,551

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($75,815), Manufacturing ($66,211), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($65,543).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($78,125), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($77,885), and Wholesale Trade ($66,042).

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

157
Other Services (except Public Administration)
126
Retail Trade
102
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

$349k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$184k
Manufacturing
$177k
Retail Trade

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

Education

In 2023, universities in Wood County, WV awarded 634 degrees. The student population of Wood County, WV in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 966 male students and 1,646 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Wood County, WV are White (589 and 94.1%), Two or More Races (13 and 2.08%), Hispanic or Latino (11 and 1.76%), and Black or African American (10 and 1.6%).

The largest universities in Wood County, WV by number of degrees awarded are West Virginia University at Parkersburg (611 and 96.4%), Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing (20 and 3.15%), and Mountain State College (3 and 0.473%).

The most popular majors in Wood County, WV are General Studies (112 and 17.7%), Registered Nursing (85 and 13.4%), and Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (81 and 12.8%).

The median tuition cost in Wood County, WV for a public four year colleges is $5,148 for in-state students and $9,324 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

Measure

In 2023 in Wood County, 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 2,612 (37% men and 63% 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

In 2023 there were 2,612 students enrolled in Wood County, WV, 37% men and 63% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,413 records, of which 63% were women and 37% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
60 degrees awarded
General Business
48 degrees awarded
General Studies
44 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Wood County, WV was Registered Nursing with 60 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

West Virginia University at Parkersburg
611 degrees awarded
Wood County Technical Center-Practical Nursing
20 degrees awarded
Mountain State College
3 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was West Virginia University at Parkersburg with 611 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 204 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wood County, WV, which is 0.474 times less than the 430 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 589 degrees mean that there were 45.3 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Two or More Races, with 13 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

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Wood County, WV was $158,500 in 2024, which is 0.476 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $153,700 to $158,500, a 3.12% increase. The homeownership rate in Wood County, WV is 75.1%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Wood County, WV have an average commute time of 20.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wood County, WV is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 9.45% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wood County, WV. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.55%.

Housing

Property

$158,500

Median Property Value 2024

±$4,640

$26,912

Median Property Taxes

±$1,117

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

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

Rent vs Own

75.1%

Homeownership

2024

65.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 75.1% of the housing units in Wood County, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 74.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wood County, 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.

$57,810

Median Household Income

± $2,706

35.8k

Number of Households

± 1,425

In 2024, the median household income of the 35.8k households in Wood County, WV grew to $57,810 from the previous year's value of $56,193.

The following chart displays the households in Wood 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 Wood 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 2024

Drove Alone (78%)
Worked At Home (9.94%)
Carpooled (8.1%)

In 2024, 78% of workers in Wood County, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.94%) and those who carpooled to work (8.1%).

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

20.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wood County, WV have a shorter commute time (20.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.83% of the workforce in Wood County, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 9.45% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wood County, WV. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.55%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

14.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wood County, WV (12.1k out of 82.1k 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 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wood 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 2025, 18.7% of the children was living in poverty in Wood County, WV. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 7%.

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 300 in Wood County, WV. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 43.5 per 100,000 population.

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

Health

93.8% of the population of Wood County, WV has health coverage, with 43.3% on employee plans, 21.2% on Medicaid, 16.2% on Medicare, 11.3% on non-group plans, and 1.83% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Wood County, WV see 1,161 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,161 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1603 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 491 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,161 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Wood County, WV

Primary care physicians in Wood County, WV see an average of 1,161 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,161 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.1% under 18 years, 17.5% between 18 and 34 years, 39.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

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

Uninsured People

6.24%

Uninsured

43.3%

Employer Coverage

21.2%

Medicaid

16.2%

Medicare

11.3%

Non-Group

1.83%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wood County, WV declined by 5.85% from 6.62% to 6.24%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 55.2 in Wood County, WV.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, 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 38.1% in Wood County, WV.

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