Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in West Virginia

Counties in West Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Berkeley County had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 55 counties in 2021, at 66%. McDowell County had the lowest, at 27.5%. The median was 49.7% and the figure for West Virginia was 53.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest66Berkeley County
Lowest27.5McDowell County
Median49.755 counties
West Virginia53.3History

Map of counties, 2021

Barbour County: 50.3 %Berkeley County: 66 %Boone County: 42.5 %Braxton County: 45.7 %Brooke County: 54.7 %Cabell County: 54.3 %Calhoun County: 42.5 %Clay County: 39.5 %Doddridge County: 47.4 %Fayette County: 46.5 %Gilmer County: 43 %Grant County: 55.6 %Greenbrier County: 52 %Hampshire County: 49.7 %Hancock County: 57.6 %Hardy County: 55.7 %Harrison County: 58.2 %Jackson County: 46.6 %Jefferson County: 64.9 %Kanawha County: 55.6 %Lewis County: 51.8 %Lincoln County: 42.5 %Logan County: 40 %McDowell County: 27.5 %Marion County: 58.6 %Marshall County: 52.4 %Mason County: 47.3 %Mercer County: 49.2 %Mineral County: 55.3 %Mingo County: 36.8 %Monongalia County: 64 %Monroe County: 50.9 %Morgan County: 55.1 %Nicholas County: 47.9 %Ohio County: 57.2 %Pendleton County: 51.5 %Pleasants County: 54.4 %Pocahontas County: 42.3 %Preston County: 51.8 %Putnam County: 59.6 %Raleigh County: 49.1 %Randolph County: 49.2 %Ritchie County: 43.1 %Roane County: 41.7 %Summers County: 38.5 %Taylor County: 54.6 %Tucker County: 52.6 %Tyler County: 46 %Upshur County: 53.8 %Wayne County: 45.8 %Webster County: 42.4 %Wetzel County: 45.8 %Wirt County: 49.3 %Wood County: 54.9 %Wyoming County: 36.9 %
  • Under 42
  • 42 to 46
  • 46 to 50
  • 50 to 54
  • 54 to 56
  • 56 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2021

Berkeley County: 66 %Berkeley County66Jefferson County: 64.9 %Jefferson County64.9Monongalia County: 64 %Monongalia County64Putnam County: 59.6 %Putnam County59.6Marion County: 58.6 %Marion County58.6Harrison County: 58.2 %Harrison County58.2Hancock County: 57.6 %Hancock County57.6Ohio County: 57.2 %Ohio County57.2Hardy County: 55.7 %Hardy County55.7Kanawha County: 55.6 %Kanawha County55.6Grant County: 55.6 %Grant County55.6Mineral County: 55.3 %Mineral County55.3Morgan County: 55.1 %Morgan County55.1Wood County: 54.9 %Wood County54.9Brooke County: 54.7 %Brooke County54.7Taylor County: 54.6 %Taylor County54.6Pleasants County: 54.4 %Pleasants County54.4Cabell County: 54.3 %Cabell County54.3Upshur County: 53.8 %Upshur County53.8Tucker County: 52.6 %Tucker County52.6Marshall County: 52.4 %Marshall County52.4Greenbrier County: 52 %Greenbrier County52Lewis County: 51.8 %Lewis County51.8Preston County: 51.8 %Preston County51.8Pendleton County: 51.5 %Pendleton County51.5Monroe County: 50.9 %Monroe County50.9Barbour County: 50.3 %Barbour County50.3Hampshire County: 49.7 %Hampshire County49.7Wirt County: 49.3 %Wirt County49.3Randolph County: 49.2 %Randolph County49.2Mercer County: 49.2 %Mercer County49.2Raleigh County: 49.1 %Raleigh County49.1Nicholas County: 47.9 %Nicholas County47.9Doddridge County: 47.4 %Doddridge County47.4Mason County: 47.3 %Mason County47.3Jackson County: 46.6 %Jackson County46.6Fayette County: 46.5 %Fayette County46.5Tyler County: 46 %Tyler County46Wayne County: 45.8 %Wayne County45.8Wetzel County: 45.8 %Wetzel County45.8Braxton County: 45.7 %Braxton County45.7Ritchie County: 43.1 %Ritchie County43.1Gilmer County: 43 %Gilmer County43Calhoun County: 42.5 %Calhoun County42.5Lincoln County: 42.5 %Lincoln County42.5Boone County: 42.5 %Boone County42.5Webster County: 42.4 %Webster County42.4Pocahontas County: 42.3 %Pocahontas County42.3Roane County: 41.7 %Roane County41.7Logan County: 40 %Logan County40Clay County: 39.5 %Clay County39.5Summers County: 38.5 %Summers County38.5Wyoming County: 36.9 %Wyoming County36.9Mingo County: 36.8 %Mingo County36.8McDowell County: 27.5 %McDowell County27.5Berkeley County: 66 %Berkeley County66Jefferson County: 64.9 %Jefferson County64.9Monongalia County: 64 %Monongalia County64Putnam County: 59.6 %Putnam County59.6Marion County: 58.6 %Marion County58.6Harrison County: 58.2 %Harrison County58.2Hancock County: 57.6 %Hancock County57.6Ohio County: 57.2 %Ohio County57.2Hardy County: 55.7 %Hardy County55.7Kanawha County: 55.6 %Kanawha County55.6Grant County: 55.6 %Grant County55.6Mineral County: 55.3 %Mineral County55.3Morgan County: 55.1 %Morgan County55.1Wood County: 54.9 %Wood County54.9Brooke County: 54.7 %Brooke County54.7Taylor County: 54.6 %Taylor County54.6Pleasants County: 54.4 %Pleasants County54.4Cabell County: 54.3 %Cabell County54.3Upshur County: 53.8 %Upshur County53.8Tucker County: 52.6 %Tucker County52.6Marshall County: 52.4 %Marshall County52.4Greenbrier County: 52 %Greenbrier County52Lewis County: 51.8 %Lewis County51.8Preston County: 51.8 %Preston County51.8Pendleton County: 51.5 %Pendleton County51.5Monroe County: 50.9 %Monroe County50.9Barbour County: 50.3 %Barbour County50.3Hampshire County: 49.7 %Hampshire County49.7Wirt County: 49.3 %Wirt County49.3Randolph County: 49.2 %Randolph County49.2Mercer County: 49.2 %Mercer County49.2Raleigh County: 49.1 %Raleigh County49.1Nicholas County: 47.9 %Nicholas County47.9Doddridge County: 47.4 %Doddridge County47.4Mason County: 47.3 %Mason County47.3Jackson County: 46.6 %Jackson County46.6Fayette County: 46.5 %Fayette County46.5Tyler County: 46 %Tyler County46Wayne County: 45.8 %Wayne County45.8Wetzel County: 45.8 %Wetzel County45.8Braxton County: 45.7 %Braxton County45.7Ritchie County: 43.1 %Ritchie County43.1Gilmer County: 43 %Gilmer County43Calhoun County: 42.5 %Calhoun County42.5Lincoln County: 42.5 %Lincoln County42.5Boone County: 42.5 %Boone County42.5Webster County: 42.4 %Webster County42.4Pocahontas County: 42.3 %Pocahontas County42.3Roane County: 41.7 %Roane County41.7Logan County: 40 %Logan County40Clay County: 39.5 %Clay County39.5Summers County: 38.5 %Summers County38.5Wyoming County: 36.9 %Wyoming County36.9Mingo County: 36.8 %Mingo County36.8McDowell County: 27.5 %McDowell County27.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Berkeley County66
2Jefferson County64.9
3Monongalia County64
4Putnam County59.6
5Marion County58.6
6Harrison County58.2
7Hancock County57.6
8Ohio County57.2
9Hardy County55.7
10Kanawha County55.6
11Grant County55.6
12Mineral County55.3
13Morgan County55.1
14Wood County54.9
15Brooke County54.7
16Taylor County54.6
17Pleasants County54.4
18Cabell County54.3
19Upshur County53.8
20Tucker County52.6
21Marshall County52.4
22Greenbrier County52
23Lewis County51.8
24Preston County51.8
25Pendleton County51.5
26Monroe County50.9
27Barbour County50.3
28Hampshire County49.7
29Wirt County49.3
30Randolph County49.2
31Mercer County49.2
32Raleigh County49.1
33Nicholas County47.9
34Doddridge County47.4
35Mason County47.3
36Jackson County46.6
37Fayette County46.5
38Tyler County46
39Wayne County45.8
40Wetzel County45.8
41Braxton County45.7
42Ritchie County43.1
43Gilmer County43
44Calhoun County42.5
45Lincoln County42.5
46Boone County42.5
47Webster County42.4
48Pocahontas County42.3
49Roane County41.7
50Logan County40
51Clay County39.5
52Summers County38.5
53Wyoming County36.9
54Mingo County36.8
55McDowell County27.5

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. 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). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in West Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in West Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in West Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in West Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_west_virginia_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in West Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in West Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in West Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"labor_force_participation_rate_acs","level":"province","within":"West Virginia","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=labor_force_participation_rate_acs&level=province&within=West%20Virginia&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Berkeley County, with 66% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

McDowell County, with 27.5% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in West Virginia: more rankings