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)

McDowell County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 55 counties in 2021, at 28.9%. Pleasants County had the lowest, at 7.5%. The median was 17.5% and the figure for West Virginia was 16.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest28.9McDowell County
Lowest7.5Pleasants County
Median17.555 counties
West Virginia16.9History

Map of counties, 2021

Barbour County: 20.8 %Berkeley County: 10.7 %Boone County: 17.8 %Braxton County: 18.3 %Brooke County: 11.8 %Cabell County: 21.2 %Calhoun County: 28.4 %Clay County: 26.3 %Doddridge County: 15.2 %Fayette County: 21 %Gilmer County: 11.8 %Grant County: 12.1 %Greenbrier County: 18.9 %Hampshire County: 17.9 %Hancock County: 14.2 %Hardy County: 18.3 %Harrison County: 15.2 %Jackson County: 18.1 %Jefferson County: 9.7 %Kanawha County: 16.4 %Lewis County: 17.2 %Lincoln County: 20.6 %Logan County: 25.7 %McDowell County: 28.9 %Marion County: 14.6 %Marshall County: 14.5 %Mason County: 16.5 %Mercer County: 18.9 %Mineral County: 12.1 %Mingo County: 28.2 %Monongalia County: 19.3 %Monroe County: 14.5 %Morgan County: 8 %Nicholas County: 18.6 %Ohio County: 13.3 %Pendleton County: 16.1 %Pleasants County: 7.5 %Pocahontas County: 17.5 %Preston County: 14.4 %Putnam County: 10.5 %Raleigh County: 22.5 %Randolph County: 15.2 %Ritchie County: 18.2 %Roane County: 21.3 %Summers County: 22.6 %Taylor County: 16.2 %Tucker County: 9.9 %Tyler County: 12.1 %Upshur County: 20 %Wayne County: 17.3 %Webster County: 21.5 %Wetzel County: 18.8 %Wirt County: 20.9 %Wood County: 14.8 %Wyoming County: 25.3 %
  • Under 12
  • 12 to 15
  • 15 to 17
  • 17 to 19
  • 19 to 21
  • 21 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2021

McDowell County: 28.9 %McDowell County28.9Calhoun County: 28.4 %Calhoun County28.4Mingo County: 28.2 %Mingo County28.2Clay County: 26.3 %Clay County26.3Logan County: 25.7 %Logan County25.7Wyoming County: 25.3 %Wyoming County25.3Summers County: 22.6 %Summers County22.6Raleigh County: 22.5 %Raleigh County22.5Webster County: 21.5 %Webster County21.5Roane County: 21.3 %Roane County21.3Cabell County: 21.2 %Cabell County21.2Fayette County: 21 %Fayette County21Wirt County: 20.9 %Wirt County20.9Barbour County: 20.8 %Barbour County20.8Lincoln County: 20.6 %Lincoln County20.6Upshur County: 20 %Upshur County20Monongalia County: 19.3 %Monongalia County19.3Mercer County: 18.9 %Mercer County18.9Greenbrier County: 18.9 %Greenbrier County18.9Wetzel County: 18.8 %Wetzel County18.8Nicholas County: 18.6 %Nicholas County18.6Braxton County: 18.3 %Braxton County18.3Hardy County: 18.3 %Hardy County18.3Ritchie County: 18.2 %Ritchie County18.2Jackson County: 18.1 %Jackson County18.1Hampshire County: 17.9 %Hampshire County17.9Boone County: 17.8 %Boone County17.8Pocahontas County: 17.5 %Pocahontas County17.5Wayne County: 17.3 %Wayne County17.3Lewis County: 17.2 %Lewis County17.2Mason County: 16.5 %Mason County16.5Kanawha County: 16.4 %Kanawha County16.4Taylor County: 16.2 %Taylor County16.2Pendleton County: 16.1 %Pendleton County16.1Doddridge County: 15.2 %Doddridge County15.2Randolph County: 15.2 %Randolph County15.2Harrison County: 15.2 %Harrison County15.2Wood County: 14.8 %Wood County14.8Marion County: 14.6 %Marion County14.6Marshall County: 14.5 %Marshall County14.5Monroe County: 14.5 %Monroe County14.5Preston County: 14.4 %Preston County14.4Hancock County: 14.2 %Hancock County14.2Ohio County: 13.3 %Ohio County13.3Grant County: 12.1 %Grant County12.1Mineral County: 12.1 %Mineral County12.1Tyler County: 12.1 %Tyler County12.1Brooke County: 11.8 %Brooke County11.8Gilmer County: 11.8 %Gilmer County11.8Berkeley County: 10.7 %Berkeley County10.7Putnam County: 10.5 %Putnam County10.5Tucker County: 9.9 %Tucker County9.9Jefferson County: 9.7 %Jefferson County9.7Morgan County: 8 %Morgan County8Pleasants County: 7.5 %Pleasants County7.5McDowell County: 28.9 %McDowell County28.9Calhoun County: 28.4 %Calhoun County28.4Mingo County: 28.2 %Mingo County28.2Clay County: 26.3 %Clay County26.3Logan County: 25.7 %Logan County25.7Wyoming County: 25.3 %Wyoming County25.3Summers County: 22.6 %Summers County22.6Raleigh County: 22.5 %Raleigh County22.5Webster County: 21.5 %Webster County21.5Roane County: 21.3 %Roane County21.3Cabell County: 21.2 %Cabell County21.2Fayette County: 21 %Fayette County21Wirt County: 20.9 %Wirt County20.9Barbour County: 20.8 %Barbour County20.8Lincoln County: 20.6 %Lincoln County20.6Upshur County: 20 %Upshur County20Monongalia County: 19.3 %Monongalia County19.3Mercer County: 18.9 %Mercer County18.9Greenbrier County: 18.9 %Greenbrier County18.9Wetzel County: 18.8 %Wetzel County18.8Nicholas County: 18.6 %Nicholas County18.6Braxton County: 18.3 %Braxton County18.3Hardy County: 18.3 %Hardy County18.3Ritchie County: 18.2 %Ritchie County18.2Jackson County: 18.1 %Jackson County18.1Hampshire County: 17.9 %Hampshire County17.9Boone County: 17.8 %Boone County17.8Pocahontas County: 17.5 %Pocahontas County17.5Wayne County: 17.3 %Wayne County17.3Lewis County: 17.2 %Lewis County17.2Mason County: 16.5 %Mason County16.5Kanawha County: 16.4 %Kanawha County16.4Taylor County: 16.2 %Taylor County16.2Pendleton County: 16.1 %Pendleton County16.1Doddridge County: 15.2 %Doddridge County15.2Randolph County: 15.2 %Randolph County15.2Harrison County: 15.2 %Harrison County15.2Wood County: 14.8 %Wood County14.8Marion County: 14.6 %Marion County14.6Marshall County: 14.5 %Marshall County14.5Monroe County: 14.5 %Monroe County14.5Preston County: 14.4 %Preston County14.4Hancock County: 14.2 %Hancock County14.2Ohio County: 13.3 %Ohio County13.3Grant County: 12.1 %Grant County12.1Mineral County: 12.1 %Mineral County12.1Tyler County: 12.1 %Tyler County12.1Brooke County: 11.8 %Brooke County11.8Gilmer County: 11.8 %Gilmer County11.8Berkeley County: 10.7 %Berkeley County10.7Putnam County: 10.5 %Putnam County10.5Tucker County: 9.9 %Tucker County9.9Jefferson County: 9.7 %Jefferson County9.7Morgan County: 8 %Morgan County8Pleasants County: 7.5 %Pleasants County7.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1McDowell County28.9
2Calhoun County28.4
3Mingo County28.2
4Clay County26.3
5Logan County25.7
6Wyoming County25.3
7Summers County22.6
8Raleigh County22.5
9Webster County21.5
10Roane County21.3
11Cabell County21.2
12Fayette County21
13Wirt County20.9
14Barbour County20.8
15Lincoln County20.6
16Upshur County20
17Monongalia County19.3
18Mercer County18.9
19Greenbrier County18.9
20Wetzel County18.8
21Nicholas County18.6
22Braxton County18.3
23Hardy County18.3
24Ritchie County18.2
25Jackson County18.1
26Hampshire County17.9
27Boone County17.8
28Pocahontas County17.5
29Wayne County17.3
30Lewis County17.2
31Mason County16.5
32Kanawha County16.4
33Taylor County16.2
34Pendleton County16.1
35Doddridge County15.2
36Randolph County15.2
37Harrison County15.2
38Wood County14.8
39Marion County14.6
40Marshall County14.5
41Monroe County14.5
42Preston County14.4
43Hancock County14.2
44Ohio County13.3
45Grant County12.1
46Mineral County12.1
47Tyler County12.1
48Brooke County11.8
48Gilmer County11.8
50Berkeley County10.7
51Putnam County10.5
52Tucker County9.9
53Jefferson County9.7
54Morgan County8
55Pleasants County7.5

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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-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 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), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021.

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), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-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 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), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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), 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-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/west-virginia-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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 28.9% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Pleasants County, with 7.5% 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 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