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

Counties in West Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

McDowell County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 55 counties in 2024, at 34.2%. Jefferson County had the lowest, at 8.7%. The median was 16.8% and the figure for West Virginia was 16.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest34.2McDowell County
Lowest8.7Jefferson County
Median16.855 counties
West Virginia16.7History

Map of counties, 2024

Barbour County: 20 %Berkeley County: 11.1 %Boone County: 16.2 %Braxton County: 20.4 %Brooke County: 13.1 %Cabell County: 19.2 %Calhoun County: 32.9 %Clay County: 26.4 %Doddridge County: 14.8 %Fayette County: 19.2 %Gilmer County: 19 %Grant County: 13.3 %Greenbrier County: 21.8 %Hampshire County: 13.1 %Hancock County: 14.5 %Hardy County: 17.7 %Harrison County: 14.4 %Jackson County: 18.5 %Jefferson County: 8.7 %Kanawha County: 15.8 %Lewis County: 16.1 %Lincoln County: 23.2 %Logan County: 21.8 %McDowell County: 34.2 %Marion County: 13.6 %Marshall County: 16.8 %Mason County: 19.4 %Mercer County: 16.5 %Mineral County: 14 %Mingo County: 32.4 %Monongalia County: 19.7 %Monroe County: 14 %Morgan County: 11.2 %Nicholas County: 15.4 %Ohio County: 17.7 %Pendleton County: 16.6 %Pleasants County: 11.6 %Pocahontas County: 22.6 %Preston County: 13.8 %Putnam County: 10.6 %Raleigh County: 22.8 %Randolph County: 15.9 %Ritchie County: 21.6 %Roane County: 19.1 %Summers County: 23.8 %Taylor County: 13.9 %Tucker County: 15.3 %Tyler County: 20.2 %Upshur County: 19.2 %Wayne County: 14.6 %Webster County: 23.3 %Wetzel County: 16 %Wirt County: 16.8 %Wood County: 14.8 %Wyoming County: 22.6 %
  • Under 14
  • 14 to 15
  • 15 to 17
  • 17 to 19
  • 19 to 23
  • 23 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2024

McDowell County: 34.2 %McDowell County34.2Calhoun County: 32.9 %Calhoun County32.9Mingo County: 32.4 %Mingo County32.4Clay County: 26.4 %Clay County26.4Summers County: 23.8 %Summers County23.8Webster County: 23.3 %Webster County23.3Lincoln County: 23.2 %Lincoln County23.2Raleigh County: 22.8 %Raleigh County22.8Wyoming County: 22.6 %Wyoming County22.6Pocahontas County: 22.6 %Pocahontas County22.6Greenbrier County: 21.8 %Greenbrier County21.8Logan County: 21.8 %Logan County21.8Ritchie County: 21.6 %Ritchie County21.6Braxton County: 20.4 %Braxton County20.4Tyler County: 20.2 %Tyler County20.2Barbour County: 20 %Barbour County20Monongalia County: 19.7 %Monongalia County19.7Mason County: 19.4 %Mason County19.4Fayette County: 19.2 %Fayette County19.2Upshur County: 19.2 %Upshur County19.2Cabell County: 19.2 %Cabell County19.2Roane County: 19.1 %Roane County19.1Gilmer County: 19 %Gilmer County19Jackson County: 18.5 %Jackson County18.5Hardy County: 17.7 %Hardy County17.7Ohio County: 17.7 %Ohio County17.7Wirt County: 16.8 %Wirt County16.8Marshall County: 16.8 %Marshall County16.8Pendleton County: 16.6 %Pendleton County16.6Mercer County: 16.5 %Mercer County16.5Boone County: 16.2 %Boone County16.2Lewis County: 16.1 %Lewis County16.1Wetzel County: 16 %Wetzel County16Randolph County: 15.9 %Randolph County15.9Kanawha County: 15.8 %Kanawha County15.8Nicholas County: 15.4 %Nicholas County15.4Tucker County: 15.3 %Tucker County15.3Doddridge County: 14.8 %Doddridge County14.8Wood County: 14.8 %Wood County14.8Wayne County: 14.6 %Wayne County14.6Hancock County: 14.5 %Hancock County14.5Harrison County: 14.4 %Harrison County14.4Mineral County: 14 %Mineral County14Monroe County: 14 %Monroe County14Taylor County: 13.9 %Taylor County13.9Preston County: 13.8 %Preston County13.8Marion County: 13.6 %Marion County13.6Grant County: 13.3 %Grant County13.3Brooke County: 13.1 %Brooke County13.1Hampshire County: 13.1 %Hampshire County13.1Pleasants County: 11.6 %Pleasants County11.6Morgan County: 11.2 %Morgan County11.2Berkeley County: 11.1 %Berkeley County11.1Putnam County: 10.6 %Putnam County10.6Jefferson County: 8.7 %Jefferson County8.7McDowell County: 34.2 %McDowell County34.2Calhoun County: 32.9 %Calhoun County32.9Mingo County: 32.4 %Mingo County32.4Clay County: 26.4 %Clay County26.4Summers County: 23.8 %Summers County23.8Webster County: 23.3 %Webster County23.3Lincoln County: 23.2 %Lincoln County23.2Raleigh County: 22.8 %Raleigh County22.8Wyoming County: 22.6 %Wyoming County22.6Pocahontas County: 22.6 %Pocahontas County22.6Greenbrier County: 21.8 %Greenbrier County21.8Logan County: 21.8 %Logan County21.8Ritchie County: 21.6 %Ritchie County21.6Braxton County: 20.4 %Braxton County20.4Tyler County: 20.2 %Tyler County20.2Barbour County: 20 %Barbour County20Monongalia County: 19.7 %Monongalia County19.7Mason County: 19.4 %Mason County19.4Fayette County: 19.2 %Fayette County19.2Upshur County: 19.2 %Upshur County19.2Cabell County: 19.2 %Cabell County19.2Roane County: 19.1 %Roane County19.1Gilmer County: 19 %Gilmer County19Jackson County: 18.5 %Jackson County18.5Hardy County: 17.7 %Hardy County17.7Ohio County: 17.7 %Ohio County17.7Wirt County: 16.8 %Wirt County16.8Marshall County: 16.8 %Marshall County16.8Pendleton County: 16.6 %Pendleton County16.6Mercer County: 16.5 %Mercer County16.5Boone County: 16.2 %Boone County16.2Lewis County: 16.1 %Lewis County16.1Wetzel County: 16 %Wetzel County16Randolph County: 15.9 %Randolph County15.9Kanawha County: 15.8 %Kanawha County15.8Nicholas County: 15.4 %Nicholas County15.4Tucker County: 15.3 %Tucker County15.3Doddridge County: 14.8 %Doddridge County14.8Wood County: 14.8 %Wood County14.8Wayne County: 14.6 %Wayne County14.6Hancock County: 14.5 %Hancock County14.5Harrison County: 14.4 %Harrison County14.4Mineral County: 14 %Mineral County14Monroe County: 14 %Monroe County14Taylor County: 13.9 %Taylor County13.9Preston County: 13.8 %Preston County13.8Marion County: 13.6 %Marion County13.6Grant County: 13.3 %Grant County13.3Brooke County: 13.1 %Brooke County13.1Hampshire County: 13.1 %Hampshire County13.1Pleasants County: 11.6 %Pleasants County11.6Morgan County: 11.2 %Morgan County11.2Berkeley County: 11.1 %Berkeley County11.1Putnam County: 10.6 %Putnam County10.6Jefferson County: 8.7 %Jefferson County8.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1McDowell County34.2+3.2 pts
2Calhoun County32.9-0.5 pts
3Mingo County32.4+2.5 pts
4Clay County26.4+1.5 pts
5Summers County23.8+4.6 pts
6Webster County23.3+1.1 pts
7Lincoln County23.2+2.5 pts
8Raleigh County22.8+1.2 pts
9Wyoming County22.60 pts
10Pocahontas County22.6+1.7 pts
11Greenbrier County21.8+1.1 pts
12Logan County21.8+0.4 pts
13Ritchie County21.6-0.1 pts
14Braxton County20.4+1.6 pts
15Tyler County20.2+2.5 pts
16Barbour County20-0.8 pts
17Monongalia County19.7-0.8 pts
18Mason County19.4+1.5 pts
19Fayette County19.2+0.4 pts
19Upshur County19.2+0.9 pts
21Cabell County19.2-0.6 pts
22Roane County19.1-1.2 pts
23Gilmer County19+6.1 pts
24Jackson County18.5+0.9 pts
25Hardy County17.70 pts
26Ohio County17.7+2 pts
27Wirt County16.8-1.5 pts
28Marshall County16.8+1.8 pts
29Pendleton County16.6+0.2 pts
30Mercer County16.5-1.5 pts
31Boone County16.2-1.1 pts
32Lewis County16.1-3.3 pts
33Wetzel County16-0.6 pts
34Randolph County15.9+1.2 pts
35Kanawha County15.8-0.4 pts
36Nicholas County15.4-2.4 pts
37Tucker County15.3+2.2 pts
38Doddridge County14.8+0.3 pts
39Wood County14.8-0 pts
40Wayne County14.6-1.1 pts
41Hancock County14.5-0.5 pts
42Harrison County14.4+0.8 pts
43Mineral County14-0.2 pts
44Monroe County14-1.7 pts
45Taylor County13.9-0.8 pts
46Preston County13.8-0.4 pts
47Marion County13.6-0 pts
48Grant County13.3-0.2 pts
49Brooke County13.1+1 pts
50Hampshire County13.1-1.1 pts
51Pleasants County11.6+3.6 pts
52Morgan County11.2+0.1 pts
53Berkeley County11.1-0.3 pts
54Putnam County10.6-0.1 pts
55Jefferson County8.7-0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.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 B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in West Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in West Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in West Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in West Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_west_virginia_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in West Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in West Virginia by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

McDowell County, with 34.2% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Jefferson County, with 8.7% in 2024.

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 B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in West Virginia: more rankings