West Virginia · GEOID 54103

Wetzel County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 14,078 · 7,297 housing units

Median household income

$56,836

State $60,534

Median home value

$107,900

State $168,419

Median gross rent

$688

State $879

Homeownership rate

83.2%

State 74.9%

Renter cost-burden rate

37.2%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

12.0%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

1.8%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

4.5%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

16.2%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

1.90

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Wetzel County	West Virginia
Population	14,078	1,778,373
Population density (per sq. mi.)	39.32	—
Median household income	$56,836	$60,534
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$79,000	—
Households	6,113	—
Average household size	2.28 people	—
Owner-occupied	83.2%	74.9%
Renter-occupied	16.8%	25.1%
Race	94.7% White · 0.2% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Wetzel County compared with West Virginia.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

17.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 24.1%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	28.0%	$44,664	$1,117	$135,235
1 earner	31.4%	$73,214	$1,830	$241,508
2 earners	32.0%	$103,835	$2,596	$355,490
3+ earners	8.6%	$129,219	$3,230	$449,977

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

6,113

Average size: 2.28 people

Households with children

1,425

23.3% of households

Per-capita income

$31,337

Poverty rate: 17.6%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

83.2% owner-occupied vs. state average 74.9%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 77.0% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 5.6%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

67.9% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,962.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $107,900.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $688.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 1,184 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 7.7% · For rent 4.1% · Seasonal 12.5% · Other 75.7%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

11.8% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 88.2% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

2.0%

148 units of 7,297 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

12.3%

896 units of 7,297 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$45,469

100% MHI$56,836

120% MHI$68,203

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Wetzel County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$44,250	$50,600	$63,200
100% AMI	$55,300	$63,200	$79,000
120% AMI	$66,350	$75,850	$94,800

HUD FMR Area: Wetzel County, WV. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

37.2% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (15.4% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

12.0% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Wetzel County.

Covered employment

4,125

Across 17 sectors

Establishments

424

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$56,557

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	873	$31,532	$86,353	−$21,547	$788
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	537	$53,480	$168,051	+$60,151	$1,337
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	534	$104,683	$358,646	+$250,746	$2,617
NAICS 21 Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction NAICS 21	488	$100,278	$342,249	+$234,349	$2,507
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	422	$20,488	$45,244	−$62,656	$512
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	281	$41,069	$121,853	+$13,953	$1,027
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	277	$64,563	$209,306	+$101,406	$1,614
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	199	$77,139	$256,118	+$148,218	$1,928
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	126	$18,719	$38,659	−$69,241	$468
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	90	$45,513	$138,395	+$30,495	$1,138
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	79	$47,125	$144,396	+$36,496	$1,178
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	76	$38,863	$113,642	+$5,742	$972
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	70	$44,694	$135,347	+$27,447	$1,117
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	34	$40,746	$120,651	+$12,751	$1,019
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	18	$13,331	$18,603	−$89,297	$333
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	13	$39,873	$117,401	+$9,501	$997
NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting NAICS 11	8	$48,708	$150,288	+$42,388	$1,218

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	537	$53,480	$168,051	+$60,151	$1,337
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	362	$20,027	$43,528	−$64,372	$501
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	227	$39,720	$116,832	+$8,932	$993
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	206	$44,258	$133,724	+$25,824	$1,106
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	201	$68,993	$225,796	+$117,896	$1,725
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	138	$32,307	$89,238	−$18,662	$808
NAICS 211 Oil and gas extraction NAICS 211	134	$107,779	$370,170	+$262,270	$2,694
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	111	$36,467	$104,723	−$3,177	$912
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	99	$35,880	$102,538	−$5,362	$897
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	87	$23,509	$56,489	−$51,411	$588
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	85	$23,287	$55,663	−$52,237	$582
NAICS 486 Pipeline transportation NAICS 486	65	$111,261	$383,132	+$275,232	$2,782
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	60	$23,268	$55,592	−$52,308	$582
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	57	$53,020	$166,339	+$58,439	$1,326
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	49	$12,381	$15,067	−$92,833	$310
NAICS 458 Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers NAICS 458	44	$19,320	$40,896	−$67,004	$483
NAICS 485 Transit and ground passenger transportation NAICS 485	42	$51,196	$159,549	+$51,649	$1,280
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	41	$22,471	$52,625	−$55,275	$562
NAICS 517 Telecommunications NAICS 517	38	$54,332	$171,223	+$63,323	$1,358
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	36	$56,422	$179,002	+$71,102	$1,411
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	35	$56,808	$180,439	+$72,539	$1,420
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	35	$28,360	$74,546	−$33,354	$709
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	33	$46,865	$143,428	+$35,528	$1,172
NAICS 488 Support activities for transportation NAICS 488	33	$59,208	$189,373	+$81,473	$1,480
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	30	$44,449	$134,435	+$26,535	$1,111
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	21	$48,537	$149,652	+$41,752	$1,213
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	18	$13,331	$18,603	−$89,297	$333
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	13	$39,873	$117,401	+$9,501	$997
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	12	$14,119	$21,536	−$86,364	$353
NAICS 519 Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services NAICS 519	12	$11,559	$12,007	−$95,893	$289
NAICS 513 Publishing industries NAICS 513	9	$54,371	$171,368	+$63,468	$1,359
NAICS 113 Forestry and logging NAICS 113	8	$48,708	$150,288	+$42,388	$1,218
NAICS 561 Administrative and support services NAICS 561	7	$70,182	$230,222	+$122,322	$1,755
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	5	$49,238	$152,261	+$44,361	$1,231
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	1	$77,053	$255,798	+$147,898	$1,926

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	500	250	100%	$12.23	$25,440	$63,677	$636
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	1,130	(3,880)	(77%)	$12.24	$25,460	$63,751	$637
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	3,960	(980)	(20%)	$12.42	$25,840	$65,166	$646
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	3,530	(390)	(10%)	$14.82	$30,820	$83,703	$771
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	1,920	100	5%	$15.89	$33,040	$91,967	$826
Tellers SOC 43-3071	610	(190)	(24%)	$16.48	$34,270	$96,545	$857
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	1,970	(4,010)	(67%)	$16.83	$35,000	$99,262	$875
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	1,900	(1,690)	(47%)	$17.37	$36,130	$103,469	$903
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	1,390	(1,030)	(43%)	$17.94	$37,310	$107,861	$933
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	190	(70)	(27%)	$20.18	$41,960	$125,170	$1,049
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	1,510	(730)	(33%)	$20.64	$42,920	$128,743	$1,073
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	1,760	(640)	(27%)	$21.07	$43,830	$132,131	$1,096
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	880	300	52%	$23.12	$48,090	$147,988	$1,202
Paramedics SOC 29-2043 · prior-year code differs	310	(360)	(54%)	$24.20	$50,330	$156,326	$1,258
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	3,070	0	0%	$24.28	$50,510	$156,996	$1,263
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	1,520	(130)	(8%)	—	$53,920	$169,689	$1,348
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	570	(190)	(25%)	$26.61	$55,360	$175,049	$1,384
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	450	0	0%	$28.18	$58,610	$187,147	$1,465
Electricians SOC 47-2111	840	130	18%	$33.39	$69,460	$227,534	$1,737
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	3,230	80	3%	$39.76	$82,700	$276,818	$2,068

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 54103 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.