Data / Rankings / Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) / Counties in West Virginia

Counties in West Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

McDowell County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 55 counties in 2017, at 46.3%. Putnam County had the lowest, at 12.2%. The median was 26% and the figure for West Virginia was 24.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest46.3McDowell County
Lowest12.2Putnam County
Median2655 counties
West Virginia24.4History

Map of counties, 2017

Barbour County: 28.1 %Berkeley County: 16.6 %Boone County: 29.7 %Braxton County: 31 %Brooke County: 19.4 %Cabell County: 30.4 %Calhoun County: 32.7 %Clay County: 37.4 %Doddridge County: 28.2 %Fayette County: 30.1 %Gilmer County: 27.1 %Grant County: 21.7 %Greenbrier County: 26.7 %Hampshire County: 25.8 %Hancock County: 20.4 %Hardy County: 22 %Harrison County: 21.2 %Jackson County: 24.1 %Jefferson County: 12.4 %Kanawha County: 25 %Lewis County: 25.8 %Lincoln County: 32.3 %Logan County: 37.7 %McDowell County: 46.3 %Marion County: 20.1 %Marshall County: 24.8 %Mason County: 28 %Mercer County: 30 %Mineral County: 21.5 %Mingo County: 38.5 %Monongalia County: 13.9 %Monroe County: 25.6 %Morgan County: 18.8 %Nicholas County: 28.1 %Ohio County: 17.8 %Pendleton County: 23.8 %Pleasants County: 17.6 %Pocahontas County: 25.8 %Preston County: 23.3 %Putnam County: 12.2 %Raleigh County: 26.6 %Randolph County: 27.3 %Ritchie County: 28.5 %Roane County: 32 %Summers County: 43 %Taylor County: 22.1 %Tucker County: 22.9 %Tyler County: 21.6 %Upshur County: 27.9 %Wayne County: 25.9 %Webster County: 41.9 %Wetzel County: 29.3 %Wirt County: 27.8 %Wood County: 26 %Wyoming County: 32.3 %
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 24
  • 24 to 26
  • 26 to 28
  • 28 to 32
  • 32 and over
%, 2017. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2017

McDowell County: 46.3 %McDowell County46.3Summers County: 43 %Summers County43Webster County: 41.9 %Webster County41.9Mingo County: 38.5 %Mingo County38.5Logan County: 37.7 %Logan County37.7Clay County: 37.4 %Clay County37.4Calhoun County: 32.7 %Calhoun County32.7Lincoln County: 32.3 %Lincoln County32.3Wyoming County: 32.3 %Wyoming County32.3Roane County: 32 %Roane County32Braxton County: 31 %Braxton County31Cabell County: 30.4 %Cabell County30.4Fayette County: 30.1 %Fayette County30.1Mercer County: 30 %Mercer County30Boone County: 29.7 %Boone County29.7Wetzel County: 29.3 %Wetzel County29.3Ritchie County: 28.5 %Ritchie County28.5Doddridge County: 28.2 %Doddridge County28.2Barbour County: 28.1 %Barbour County28.1Nicholas County: 28.1 %Nicholas County28.1Mason County: 28 %Mason County28Upshur County: 27.9 %Upshur County27.9Wirt County: 27.8 %Wirt County27.8Randolph County: 27.3 %Randolph County27.3Gilmer County: 27.1 %Gilmer County27.1Greenbrier County: 26.7 %Greenbrier County26.7Raleigh County: 26.6 %Raleigh County26.6Wood County: 26 %Wood County26Wayne County: 25.9 %Wayne County25.9Hampshire County: 25.8 %Hampshire County25.8Lewis County: 25.8 %Lewis County25.8Pocahontas County: 25.8 %Pocahontas County25.8Monroe County: 25.6 %Monroe County25.6Kanawha County: 25 %Kanawha County25Marshall County: 24.8 %Marshall County24.8Jackson County: 24.1 %Jackson County24.1Pendleton County: 23.8 %Pendleton County23.8Preston County: 23.3 %Preston County23.3Tucker County: 22.9 %Tucker County22.9Taylor County: 22.1 %Taylor County22.1Hardy County: 22 %Hardy County22Grant County: 21.7 %Grant County21.7Tyler County: 21.6 %Tyler County21.6Mineral County: 21.5 %Mineral County21.5Harrison County: 21.2 %Harrison County21.2Hancock County: 20.4 %Hancock County20.4Marion County: 20.1 %Marion County20.1Brooke County: 19.4 %Brooke County19.4Morgan County: 18.8 %Morgan County18.8Ohio County: 17.8 %Ohio County17.8Pleasants County: 17.6 %Pleasants County17.6Berkeley County: 16.6 %Berkeley County16.6Monongalia County: 13.9 %Monongalia County13.9Jefferson County: 12.4 %Jefferson County12.4Putnam County: 12.2 %Putnam County12.2McDowell County: 46.3 %McDowell County46.3Summers County: 43 %Summers County43Webster County: 41.9 %Webster County41.9Mingo County: 38.5 %Mingo County38.5Logan County: 37.7 %Logan County37.7Clay County: 37.4 %Clay County37.4Calhoun County: 32.7 %Calhoun County32.7Lincoln County: 32.3 %Lincoln County32.3Wyoming County: 32.3 %Wyoming County32.3Roane County: 32 %Roane County32Braxton County: 31 %Braxton County31Cabell County: 30.4 %Cabell County30.4Fayette County: 30.1 %Fayette County30.1Mercer County: 30 %Mercer County30Boone County: 29.7 %Boone County29.7Wetzel County: 29.3 %Wetzel County29.3Ritchie County: 28.5 %Ritchie County28.5Doddridge County: 28.2 %Doddridge County28.2Barbour County: 28.1 %Barbour County28.1Nicholas County: 28.1 %Nicholas County28.1Mason County: 28 %Mason County28Upshur County: 27.9 %Upshur County27.9Wirt County: 27.8 %Wirt County27.8Randolph County: 27.3 %Randolph County27.3Gilmer County: 27.1 %Gilmer County27.1Greenbrier County: 26.7 %Greenbrier County26.7Raleigh County: 26.6 %Raleigh County26.6Wood County: 26 %Wood County26Wayne County: 25.9 %Wayne County25.9Hampshire County: 25.8 %Hampshire County25.8Lewis County: 25.8 %Lewis County25.8Pocahontas County: 25.8 %Pocahontas County25.8Monroe County: 25.6 %Monroe County25.6Kanawha County: 25 %Kanawha County25Marshall County: 24.8 %Marshall County24.8Jackson County: 24.1 %Jackson County24.1Pendleton County: 23.8 %Pendleton County23.8Preston County: 23.3 %Preston County23.3Tucker County: 22.9 %Tucker County22.9Taylor County: 22.1 %Taylor County22.1Hardy County: 22 %Hardy County22Grant County: 21.7 %Grant County21.7Tyler County: 21.6 %Tyler County21.6Mineral County: 21.5 %Mineral County21.5Harrison County: 21.2 %Harrison County21.2Hancock County: 20.4 %Hancock County20.4Marion County: 20.1 %Marion County20.1Brooke County: 19.4 %Brooke County19.4Morgan County: 18.8 %Morgan County18.8Ohio County: 17.8 %Ohio County17.8Pleasants County: 17.6 %Pleasants County17.6Berkeley County: 16.6 %Berkeley County16.6Monongalia County: 13.9 %Monongalia County13.9Jefferson County: 12.4 %Jefferson County12.4Putnam County: 12.2 %Putnam County12.2
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1McDowell County46.3+2.2 pts
2Summers County43+10 pts
3Webster County41.9-1.2 pts
4Mingo County38.5+1.7 pts
5Logan County37.7+5.5 pts
6Clay County37.4+0.9 pts
7Calhoun County32.7+2.7 pts
8Lincoln County32.3+0.3 pts
8Wyoming County32.3+1.2 pts
10Roane County32+0.8 pts
11Braxton County31-0.1 pts
12Cabell County30.4+5.1 pts
13Fayette County30.1-0.2 pts
14Mercer County30+0.1 pts
15Boone County29.7-0.5 pts
16Wetzel County29.3+1.4 pts
17Ritchie County28.5+4.2 pts
18Doddridge County28.2+1.8 pts
19Barbour County28.1-2.4 pts
19Nicholas County28.1+1.2 pts
21Mason County28+3.8 pts
22Upshur County27.90 pts
23Wirt County27.8+0.7 pts
24Randolph County27.3+2 pts
25Gilmer County27.1+1.5 pts
26Greenbrier County26.7+3.3 pts
27Raleigh County26.6+2.4 pts
28Wood County26-2 pts
29Wayne County25.9-2.9 pts
30Hampshire County25.8+1.3 pts
30Lewis County25.8+1 pts
30Pocahontas County25.8-1.2 pts
33Monroe County25.6+0.3 pts
34Kanawha County25+2 pts
35Marshall County24.8-0.8 pts
36Jackson County24.1+1.2 pts
37Pendleton County23.8-1.4 pts
38Preston County23.3+0.5 pts
39Tucker County22.9-0.4 pts
40Taylor County22.1-0.8 pts
41Hardy County22-1.4 pts
42Grant County21.7-1.5 pts
43Tyler County21.6-2 pts
44Mineral County21.5-1.5 pts
45Harrison County21.2+1 pts
46Hancock County20.4-0.6 pts
47Marion County20.1-2.4 pts
48Brooke County19.4-1.3 pts
49Morgan County18.8-2.2 pts
50Ohio County17.8-2.9 pts
51Pleasants County17.6-0.7 pts
52Berkeley County16.6-1.2 pts
53Monongalia County13.9-0.8 pts
54Jefferson County12.4+0.2 pts
55Putnam County12.2-0.5 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

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. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. 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. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in West Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in West Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/west-virginia-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in West Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/west-virginia-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in West Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/west-virginia-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_west_virginia_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in West Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/west-virginia-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in West Virginia by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/west-virginia-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/west-virginia-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

McDowell County, with 46.3% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Putnam County, with 12.2% in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in West Virginia: more rankings