Counties in West Virginia by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Marshall County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 55 counties in 2020, at $1,160. Clay County had the lowest, at $610. The median was $853 and the figure for West Virginia was $937. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,160Marshall County
Lowest610Clay County
Median85355 counties
West Virginia937History

Map of counties, 2020

Barbour County: 865 USDBerkeley County: 915 USDBoone County: 868 USDBraxton County: 715 USDBrooke County: 860 USDCabell County: 911 USDCalhoun County: 873 USDClay County: 610 USDDoddridge County: 1,028 USDFayette County: 765 USDGilmer County: 815 USDGrant County: 856 USDGreenbrier County: 768 USDHampshire County: 690 USDHancock County: 825 USDHardy County: 732 USDHarrison County: 1,037 USDJackson County: 936 USDJefferson County: 998 USDKanawha County: 999 USDLewis County: 910 USDLincoln County: 658 USDLogan County: 835 USDMcDowell County: 896 USDMarion County: 878 USDMarshall County: 1,160 USDMason County: 920 USDMercer County: 789 USDMineral County: 903 USDMingo County: 853 USDMonongalia County: 1,105 USDMonroe County: 804 USDMorgan County: 687 USDNicholas County: 758 USDOhio County: 906 USDPendleton County: 636 USDPleasants County: 977 USDPocahontas County: 675 USDPreston County: 833 USDPutnam County: 1,049 USDRaleigh County: 857 USDRandolph County: 756 USDRitchie County: 823 USDRoane County: 796 USDSummers County: 673 USDTaylor County: 936 USDTucker County: 732 USDTyler County: 940 USDUpshur County: 794 USDWayne County: 932 USDWebster County: 725 USDWetzel County: 755 USDWirt County: 643 USDWood County: 885 USDWyoming County: 837 USD
  • Under 730
  • 730 to 790
  • 790 to 850
  • 850 to 900
  • 900 to 940
  • 940 and over
USD, 2020. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2020

Marshall County: 1,160 USDMarshall County1,160Monongalia County: 1,105 USDMonongalia County1,105Putnam County: 1,049 USDPutnam County1,049Harrison County: 1,037 USDHarrison County1,037Doddridge County: 1,028 USDDoddridge County1,028Kanawha County: 999 USDKanawha County999Jefferson County: 998 USDJefferson County998Pleasants County: 977 USDPleasants County977Tyler County: 940 USDTyler County940Jackson County: 936 USDJackson County936Taylor County: 936 USDTaylor County936Wayne County: 932 USDWayne County932Mason County: 920 USDMason County920Berkeley County: 915 USDBerkeley County915Cabell County: 911 USDCabell County911Lewis County: 910 USDLewis County910Ohio County: 906 USDOhio County906Mineral County: 903 USDMineral County903McDowell County: 896 USDMcDowell County896Wood County: 885 USDWood County885Marion County: 878 USDMarion County878Calhoun County: 873 USDCalhoun County873Boone County: 868 USDBoone County868Barbour County: 865 USDBarbour County865Brooke County: 860 USDBrooke County860Raleigh County: 857 USDRaleigh County857Grant County: 856 USDGrant County856Mingo County: 853 USDMingo County853Wyoming County: 837 USDWyoming County837Logan County: 835 USDLogan County835Preston County: 833 USDPreston County833Hancock County: 825 USDHancock County825Ritchie County: 823 USDRitchie County823Gilmer County: 815 USDGilmer County815Monroe County: 804 USDMonroe County804Roane County: 796 USDRoane County796Upshur County: 794 USDUpshur County794Mercer County: 789 USDMercer County789Greenbrier County: 768 USDGreenbrier County768Fayette County: 765 USDFayette County765Nicholas County: 758 USDNicholas County758Randolph County: 756 USDRandolph County756Wetzel County: 755 USDWetzel County755Hardy County: 732 USDHardy County732Tucker County: 732 USDTucker County732Webster County: 725 USDWebster County725Braxton County: 715 USDBraxton County715Hampshire County: 690 USDHampshire County690Morgan County: 687 USDMorgan County687Pocahontas County: 675 USDPocahontas County675Summers County: 673 USDSummers County673Lincoln County: 658 USDLincoln County658Wirt County: 643 USDWirt County643Pendleton County: 636 USDPendleton County636Clay County: 610 USDClay County610Marshall County: 1,160 USDMarshall County1,160Monongalia County: 1,105 USDMonongalia County1,105Putnam County: 1,049 USDPutnam County1,049Harrison County: 1,037 USDHarrison County1,037Doddridge County: 1,028 USDDoddridge County1,028Kanawha County: 999 USDKanawha County999Jefferson County: 998 USDJefferson County998Pleasants County: 977 USDPleasants County977Tyler County: 940 USDTyler County940Jackson County: 936 USDJackson County936Taylor County: 936 USDTaylor County936Wayne County: 932 USDWayne County932Mason County: 920 USDMason County920Berkeley County: 915 USDBerkeley County915Cabell County: 911 USDCabell County911Lewis County: 910 USDLewis County910Ohio County: 906 USDOhio County906Mineral County: 903 USDMineral County903McDowell County: 896 USDMcDowell County896Wood County: 885 USDWood County885Marion County: 878 USDMarion County878Calhoun County: 873 USDCalhoun County873Boone County: 868 USDBoone County868Barbour County: 865 USDBarbour County865Brooke County: 860 USDBrooke County860Raleigh County: 857 USDRaleigh County857Grant County: 856 USDGrant County856Mingo County: 853 USDMingo County853Wyoming County: 837 USDWyoming County837Logan County: 835 USDLogan County835Preston County: 833 USDPreston County833Hancock County: 825 USDHancock County825Ritchie County: 823 USDRitchie County823Gilmer County: 815 USDGilmer County815Monroe County: 804 USDMonroe County804Roane County: 796 USDRoane County796Upshur County: 794 USDUpshur County794Mercer County: 789 USDMercer County789Greenbrier County: 768 USDGreenbrier County768Fayette County: 765 USDFayette County765Nicholas County: 758 USDNicholas County758Randolph County: 756 USDRandolph County756Wetzel County: 755 USDWetzel County755Hardy County: 732 USDHardy County732Tucker County: 732 USDTucker County732Webster County: 725 USDWebster County725Braxton County: 715 USDBraxton County715Hampshire County: 690 USDHampshire County690Morgan County: 687 USDMorgan County687Pocahontas County: 675 USDPocahontas County675Summers County: 673 USDSummers County673Lincoln County: 658 USDLincoln County658Wirt County: 643 USDWirt County643Pendleton County: 636 USDPendleton County636Clay County: 610 USDClay County610
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
USD
Change on 2019
1Marshall County1,160-9.7%
2Monongalia County1,105+8.2%
3Putnam County1,049+0.9%
4Harrison County1,037+4.3%
5Doddridge County1,028-6%
6Kanawha County999+5.6%
7Jefferson County998+10.5%
8Pleasants County977-2.5%
9Tyler County940+2.3%
10Jackson County936-1.9%
10Taylor County936+6%
12Wayne County932+6.6%
13Mason County920+3.1%
14Berkeley County915+8.8%
15Cabell County911+6.1%
16Lewis County910-3%
17Ohio County906+7.3%
18Mineral County903+6.2%
19McDowell County896-0.7%
20Wood County885+7.7%
21Marion County878+3.8%
22Calhoun County873+4.3%
23Boone County868+1.4%
24Barbour County865+8.1%
25Brooke County860+3.9%
26Raleigh County857+3.3%
27Grant County856+7.9%
28Mingo County853-0.7%
29Wyoming County837+5.5%
30Logan County835-2.7%
31Preston County833+5.3%
32Hancock County825+5.6%
33Ritchie County823+0.2%
34Gilmer County815+5.4%
35Monroe County804+2.9%
36Roane County796+6.3%
37Upshur County794+0.8%
38Mercer County789+5.3%
39Greenbrier County768+5.8%
40Fayette County765+1.3%
41Nicholas County758+5.6%
42Randolph County756+6%
43Wetzel County755+5.7%
44Hardy County732+6.7%
44Tucker County732+8.4%
46Webster County725+7.2%
47Braxton County715+4.2%
48Hampshire County690+6%
49Morgan County687+3.9%
50Pocahontas County675+8.5%
51Summers County673+5.5%
52Lincoln County658-1.8%
53Wirt County643+1.1%
54Pendleton County636+5.8%
55Clay County610-1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in West Virginia by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in West Virginia by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2020. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/west-virginia-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in West Virginia by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/west-virginia-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in West Virginia by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/west-virginia-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_west_virginia_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in West Virginia by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/west-virginia-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in West Virginia by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/west-virginia-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/west-virginia-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in West Virginia by average weekly wage (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Marshall County, with $1,160 in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Clay County, with $610 in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in West Virginia: more rankings