The Rational Moderate

State profile

West Virginia

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with West Virginia’s rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    1,766,147

    U.S.
    341,784,857; West Virginia is 0.52% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    39 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    -0.07%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; West Virginia is 0.59 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    49 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    43.2 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; West Virginia is 3.8 years higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    4 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $60,798

    plus or minus $1,120

    U.S.
    $81,604; West Virginia is $20,806 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    50 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Louisiana, or from the next lower state, Mississippi.
    Price-adjusted
    $67,933, plus or minus $1,251: income divided by West Virginia’s 2024 regional price parity (89.5, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $58,217

    U.S.
    $77,028; West Virginia is $18,811 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    50 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $50,051

    U.S.
    $59,195; West Virginia is $9,144 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    50 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $63,020

    U.S.
    $90,294; West Virginia is $27,274 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    49 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    16.74%

    plus or minus 0.75%

    U.S.
    12.15%; West Virginia is 4.59 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    4 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, District of Columbia, or from the next lower state, New Mexico.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    89.5

    U.S.
    100.0; West Virginia is 10.5 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    43 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $170,800

    plus or minus $2,594

    U.S.
    $360,600; West Virginia is $189,800 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    51 of 51. Statistically different from the next higher state.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $883

    plus or minus $19

    U.S.
    $1,487; West Virginia is $604 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    51 of 51. Statistically different from the next higher state.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    46.99%

    plus or minus 2.22%

    U.S.
    51.77%; West Virginia is 4.78 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    38 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, District of Columbia, or from the next lower state, Nebraska.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    75.51%

    plus or minus 0.95%

    U.S.
    65.27%; West Virginia is 10.24 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    1 of 51. Statistically different from the next lower state.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    15.47 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; West Virginia is 2.72 cents lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    27 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    15.78 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, West Virginia and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

5 cents10 cents15 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearWest VirginiaUnited States
19905.907.83
19915.918.04
19926.178.21
19936.308.32
19946.368.38
19956.508.40
19966.388.36
19976.268.43
19986.298.26
19996.278.16
20006.278.24
20016.268.58
20026.238.44
20036.248.72
20046.238.95
20056.219.45
20066.3510.40
20076.7310.65
20087.0611.26
20097.9011.51
20108.7911.54
20119.3911.72
20129.8511.88
20139.5212.13
20149.3412.52
201510.0812.65
201611.4412.55
201711.6312.89
201811.1812.87
201911.2513.01
202011.8013.15
202112.1513.66
202213.2315.04
202314.0516.00
202415.0716.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    4.0%

    U.S.
    4.1%; West Virginia is 0.1 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    24 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    53.8%

    U.S.
    61.6%; West Virginia is 7.8 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    51 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, West Virginia and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. West Virginia: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthWest VirginiaUnited States
Sept. 20166.05.0
Oct. 20165.94.9
Nov. 20165.84.7
Dec. 20165.64.7
Jan. 20175.44.7
Feb. 20175.24.6
March 20175.14.4
April 20175.14.4
May 20175.04.4
June 20175.14.3
July 20175.14.3
Aug. 20175.24.4
Sept. 20175.24.3
Oct. 20175.34.2
Nov. 20175.34.2
Dec. 20175.44.1
Jan. 20185.44.0
Feb. 20185.44.1
March 20185.34.0
April 20185.34.0
May 20185.23.8
June 20185.14.0
July 20185.03.8
Aug. 20185.03.8
Sept. 20185.03.7
Oct. 20185.03.8
Nov. 20185.03.8
Dec. 20185.03.9
Jan. 20195.04.0
Feb. 20194.93.8
March 20194.93.8
April 20194.83.7
May 20194.83.6
June 20194.83.6
July 20194.83.7
Aug. 20194.93.6
Sept. 20195.03.5
Oct. 20195.03.6
Nov. 20195.13.6
Dec. 20195.13.6
Jan. 20205.23.6
Feb. 20205.33.5
March 20205.34.4
April 202015.814.8
May 202012.513.2
June 202010.611.0
July 20209.510.2
Aug. 20208.28.4
Sept. 20207.67.8
Oct. 20207.06.9
Nov. 20206.66.7
Dec. 20206.46.7
Jan. 20216.46.4
Feb. 20216.16.2
March 20215.96.1
April 20215.76.1
May 20215.45.8
June 20215.25.9
July 20215.05.4
Aug. 20214.85.1
Sept. 20214.54.7
Oct. 20214.34.5
Nov. 20214.24.1
Dec. 20214.13.9
Jan. 20224.04.0
Feb. 20224.03.9
March 20224.03.7
April 20224.03.7
May 20224.03.6
June 20223.93.6
July 20223.93.5
Aug. 20223.93.6
Sept. 20223.83.5
Oct. 20223.83.6
Nov. 20223.73.6
Dec. 20223.63.5
Jan. 20233.63.5
Feb. 20233.63.6
March 20233.63.5
April 20233.73.4
May 20233.83.6
June 20233.83.6
July 20233.93.5
Aug. 20234.03.7
Sept. 20234.03.7
Oct. 20234.13.9
Nov. 20234.13.7
Dec. 20234.23.8
Jan. 20244.23.7
Feb. 20244.23.9
March 20244.13.9
April 20244.13.9
May 20244.13.9
June 20244.14.1
July 20244.14.2
Aug. 20244.04.2
Sept. 20244.04.1
Oct. 20243.94.1
Nov. 20243.94.2
Dec. 20243.94.1
Jan. 20253.84.0
Feb. 20253.84.2
March 20253.94.2
April 20253.94.2
May 20254.04.3
June 20254.04.1
July 20254.24.3
Aug. 20254.34.3
Sept. 20254.54.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20254.64.5
Dec. 20254.64.4
Jan. 20264.64.3
Feb. 20264.74.4
March 20264.54.3
April 20264.44.3
May 20264.34.3
June 20264.24.2
July 20264.14.1
Aug. 20264.04.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, West Virginia and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. West Virginia: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

50%55%60%65%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthWest VirginiaUnited States
Sept. 201653.262.9
Oct. 201653.262.8
Nov. 201653.262.7
Dec. 201653.262.7
Jan. 201753.262.8
Feb. 201753.262.9
March 201753.362.9
April 201753.363.0
May 201753.462.8
June 201753.562.8
July 201753.662.9
Aug. 201753.762.9
Sept. 201753.863.1
Oct. 201753.862.7
Nov. 201753.862.7
Dec. 201753.962.7
Jan. 201853.962.7
Feb. 201854.163.0
March 201854.262.9
April 201854.462.9
May 201854.562.9
June 201854.563.0
July 201854.563.0
Aug. 201854.562.6
Sept. 201854.562.8
Oct. 201854.662.9
Nov. 201854.662.9
Dec. 201854.663.0
Jan. 201954.563.1
Feb. 201954.563.1
March 201954.563.0
April 201954.562.8
May 201954.562.9
June 201954.663.0
July 201954.863.1
Aug. 201954.963.1
Sept. 201954.963.2
Oct. 201955.063.3
Nov. 201955.163.3
Dec. 201955.163.3
Jan. 202055.063.3
Feb. 202054.963.3
March 202054.862.6
April 202052.760.1
May 202053.660.8
June 202053.461.5
July 202053.661.5
Aug. 202053.561.7
Sept. 202053.761.4
Oct. 202053.661.7
Nov. 202053.661.5
Dec. 202053.661.5
Jan. 202153.761.4
Feb. 202153.761.4
March 202153.761.5
April 202153.761.6
May 202153.761.6
June 202153.861.7
July 202153.861.8
Aug. 202153.861.7
Sept. 202153.861.7
Oct. 202153.961.8
Nov. 202154.061.9
Dec. 202154.162.0
Jan. 202254.362.2
Feb. 202254.562.3
March 202254.662.4
April 202254.662.2
May 202254.662.3
June 202254.662.2
July 202254.562.1
Aug. 202254.562.3
Sept. 202254.562.2
Oct. 202254.562.2
Nov. 202254.662.1
Dec. 202254.762.3
Jan. 202354.862.4
Feb. 202354.862.5
March 202354.962.6
April 202355.062.6
May 202355.162.6
June 202355.162.6
July 202355.262.6
Aug. 202355.262.8
Sept. 202355.362.7
Oct. 202355.362.6
Nov. 202355.362.8
Dec. 202355.362.5
Jan. 202455.362.5
Feb. 202455.362.6
March 202455.362.7
April 202455.362.6
May 202455.362.6
June 202455.262.6
July 202455.262.7
Aug. 202455.162.7
Sept. 202455.062.7
Oct. 202454.962.5
Nov. 202454.762.4
Dec. 202454.662.5
Jan. 202554.662.6
Feb. 202554.562.5
March 202554.562.5
April 202554.462.6
May 202554.462.4
June 202554.462.3
July 202554.462.2
Aug. 202554.562.3
Sept. 202554.662.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202554.662.5
Dec. 202554.662.4
Jan. 202654.562.1
Feb. 202654.562.0
March 202654.361.9
April 202654.161.8
May 202654.061.8
June 202653.961.5
July 202653.861.4
Aug. 202653.861.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    72.2 years

    plus or minus 0.19 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; West Virginia is 5.3 years lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    51 of 51. Statistically different from the next higher state.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    5.79%

    plus or minus 0.32%

    U.S.
    8.20%; West Virginia is 2.41 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    38 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Connecticut, or from the next lower state, Maine.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    24.38%

    plus or minus 0.76%

    U.S.
    36.85%; West Virginia is 12.47 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    51 of 51. Statistically different from the next higher state.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    59.5%

    plus or minus 5.5%

    U.S.
    65.3%; West Virginia is 5.8 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    44 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Oklahoma, or from the next lower state, New York.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV