Counties in West Virginia by wages and salaries paid

Kanawha County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 55 counties in 2016, at $5.04 billion. Wirt County had the lowest, at $18.8 million. The median was $234.19 million and the figure for West Virginia was $29.72 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest5,035.3Kanawha County
Lowest18.8Wirt County
Median234.255 counties
West Virginia29,719.9History

Map of counties, 2016

Barbour County: 124.2 USD millionBerkeley County: 1,433.6 USD millionBoone County: 232.3 USD millionBraxton County: 140.1 USD millionBrooke County: 336 USD millionCabell County: 2,312.6 USD millionCalhoun County: 46.9 USD millionClay County: 48.7 USD millionDoddridge County: 71.4 USD millionFayette County: 400.4 USD millionGilmer County: 82.7 USD millionGrant County: 158.9 USD millionGreenbrier County: 501.9 USD millionHampshire County: 135.4 USD millionHancock County: 386 USD millionHardy County: 204.4 USD millionHarrison County: 1,761.2 USD millionJackson County: 323.7 USD millionJefferson County: 743.2 USD millionKanawha County: 5,035.3 USD millionLewis County: 287.1 USD millionLincoln County: 106 USD millionLogan County: 406.5 USD millionMcDowell County: 182.4 USD millionMarion County: 805.5 USD millionMarshall County: 562.7 USD millionMason County: 250.2 USD millionMercer County: 759.6 USD millionMineral County: 320 USD millionMingo County: 234.2 USD millionMonongalia County: 2,890.9 USD millionMonroe County: 81.6 USD millionMorgan County: 100.2 USD millionNicholas County: 270.7 USD millionOhio County: 1,248.4 USD millionPendleton County: 50.1 USD millionPleasants County: 142.5 USD millionPocahontas County: 101.8 USD millionPreston County: 308 USD millionPutnam County: 1,113.5 USD millionRaleigh County: 1,273.9 USD millionRandolph County: 410.7 USD millionRitchie County: 144.8 USD millionRoane County: 112 USD millionSummers County: 86.9 USD millionTaylor County: 143.5 USD millionTucker County: 102.1 USD millionTyler County: 105.3 USD millionUpshur County: 290.9 USD millionWayne County: 375.9 USD millionWebster County: 67.7 USD millionWetzel County: 157.7 USD millionWirt County: 18.8 USD millionWood County: 1,534.2 USD millionWyoming County: 194.7 USD million
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 140
  • 140 to 230
  • 230 to 380
  • 380 to 810
  • 810 and over
USD million, 2016. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2016

Kanawha County: 5,035.3 USD millionKanawha County5,035.3Monongalia County: 2,890.9 USD millionMonongalia County2,890.9Cabell County: 2,312.6 USD millionCabell County2,312.6Harrison County: 1,761.2 USD millionHarrison County1,761.2Wood County: 1,534.2 USD millionWood County1,534.2Berkeley County: 1,433.6 USD millionBerkeley County1,433.6Raleigh County: 1,273.9 USD millionRaleigh County1,273.9Ohio County: 1,248.4 USD millionOhio County1,248.4Putnam County: 1,113.5 USD millionPutnam County1,113.5Marion County: 805.5 USD millionMarion County805.5Mercer County: 759.6 USD millionMercer County759.6Jefferson County: 743.2 USD millionJefferson County743.2Marshall County: 562.7 USD millionMarshall County562.7Greenbrier County: 501.9 USD millionGreenbrier County501.9Randolph County: 410.7 USD millionRandolph County410.7Logan County: 406.5 USD millionLogan County406.5Fayette County: 400.4 USD millionFayette County400.4Hancock County: 386 USD millionHancock County386Wayne County: 375.9 USD millionWayne County375.9Brooke County: 336 USD millionBrooke County336Jackson County: 323.7 USD millionJackson County323.7Mineral County: 320 USD millionMineral County320Preston County: 308 USD millionPreston County308Upshur County: 290.9 USD millionUpshur County290.9Lewis County: 287.1 USD millionLewis County287.1Nicholas County: 270.7 USD millionNicholas County270.7Mason County: 250.2 USD millionMason County250.2Mingo County: 234.2 USD millionMingo County234.2Boone County: 232.3 USD millionBoone County232.3Hardy County: 204.4 USD millionHardy County204.4Wyoming County: 194.7 USD millionWyoming County194.7McDowell County: 182.4 USD millionMcDowell County182.4Grant County: 158.9 USD millionGrant County158.9Wetzel County: 157.7 USD millionWetzel County157.7Ritchie County: 144.8 USD millionRitchie County144.8Taylor County: 143.5 USD millionTaylor County143.5Pleasants County: 142.5 USD millionPleasants County142.5Braxton County: 140.1 USD millionBraxton County140.1Hampshire County: 135.4 USD millionHampshire County135.4Barbour County: 124.2 USD millionBarbour County124.2Roane County: 112 USD millionRoane County112Lincoln County: 106 USD millionLincoln County106Tyler County: 105.3 USD millionTyler County105.3Tucker County: 102.1 USD millionTucker County102.1Pocahontas County: 101.8 USD millionPocahontas County101.8Morgan County: 100.2 USD millionMorgan County100.2Summers County: 86.9 USD millionSummers County86.9Gilmer County: 82.7 USD millionGilmer County82.7Monroe County: 81.6 USD millionMonroe County81.6Doddridge County: 71.4 USD millionDoddridge County71.4Webster County: 67.7 USD millionWebster County67.7Pendleton County: 50.1 USD millionPendleton County50.1Clay County: 48.7 USD millionClay County48.7Calhoun County: 46.9 USD millionCalhoun County46.9Wirt County: 18.8 USD millionWirt County18.8Kanawha County: 5,035.3 USD millionKanawha County5,035.3Monongalia County: 2,890.9 USD millionMonongalia County2,890.9Cabell County: 2,312.6 USD millionCabell County2,312.6Harrison County: 1,761.2 USD millionHarrison County1,761.2Wood County: 1,534.2 USD millionWood County1,534.2Berkeley County: 1,433.6 USD millionBerkeley County1,433.6Raleigh County: 1,273.9 USD millionRaleigh County1,273.9Ohio County: 1,248.4 USD millionOhio County1,248.4Putnam County: 1,113.5 USD millionPutnam County1,113.5Marion County: 805.5 USD millionMarion County805.5Mercer County: 759.6 USD millionMercer County759.6Jefferson County: 743.2 USD millionJefferson County743.2Marshall County: 562.7 USD millionMarshall County562.7Greenbrier County: 501.9 USD millionGreenbrier County501.9Randolph County: 410.7 USD millionRandolph County410.7Logan County: 406.5 USD millionLogan County406.5Fayette County: 400.4 USD millionFayette County400.4Hancock County: 386 USD millionHancock County386Wayne County: 375.9 USD millionWayne County375.9Brooke County: 336 USD millionBrooke County336Jackson County: 323.7 USD millionJackson County323.7Mineral County: 320 USD millionMineral County320Preston County: 308 USD millionPreston County308Upshur County: 290.9 USD millionUpshur County290.9Lewis County: 287.1 USD millionLewis County287.1Nicholas County: 270.7 USD millionNicholas County270.7Mason County: 250.2 USD millionMason County250.2Mingo County: 234.2 USD millionMingo County234.2Boone County: 232.3 USD millionBoone County232.3Hardy County: 204.4 USD millionHardy County204.4Wyoming County: 194.7 USD millionWyoming County194.7McDowell County: 182.4 USD millionMcDowell County182.4Grant County: 158.9 USD millionGrant County158.9Wetzel County: 157.7 USD millionWetzel County157.7Ritchie County: 144.8 USD millionRitchie County144.8Taylor County: 143.5 USD millionTaylor County143.5Pleasants County: 142.5 USD millionPleasants County142.5Braxton County: 140.1 USD millionBraxton County140.1Hampshire County: 135.4 USD millionHampshire County135.4Barbour County: 124.2 USD millionBarbour County124.2Roane County: 112 USD millionRoane County112Lincoln County: 106 USD millionLincoln County106Tyler County: 105.3 USD millionTyler County105.3Tucker County: 102.1 USD millionTucker County102.1Pocahontas County: 101.8 USD millionPocahontas County101.8Morgan County: 100.2 USD millionMorgan County100.2Summers County: 86.9 USD millionSummers County86.9Gilmer County: 82.7 USD millionGilmer County82.7Monroe County: 81.6 USD millionMonroe County81.6Doddridge County: 71.4 USD millionDoddridge County71.4Webster County: 67.7 USD millionWebster County67.7Pendleton County: 50.1 USD millionPendleton County50.1Clay County: 48.7 USD millionClay County48.7Calhoun County: 46.9 USD millionCalhoun County46.9Wirt County: 18.8 USD millionWirt County18.8
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
USD million
Change on 2015
1Kanawha County5,035.3-0.4%
2Monongalia County2,890.9-0.1%
3Cabell County2,312.6+1.1%
4Harrison County1,761.2-0%
5Wood County1,534.2-2.6%
6Berkeley County1,433.6+3.3%
7Raleigh County1,273.9-6.1%
8Ohio County1,248.4+0.3%
9Putnam County1,113.5+3.4%
10Marion County805.5-8.1%
11Mercer County759.6-2.3%
12Jefferson County743.2+5.9%
13Marshall County562.7-5.8%
14Greenbrier County501.9-2%
15Randolph County410.7+2.2%
16Logan County406.5-9.4%
17Fayette County400.4-4.8%
18Hancock County386-1%
19Wayne County375.9-9.6%
20Brooke County336-1.4%
21Jackson County323.7+1.1%
22Mineral County320-1%
23Preston County308-0.1%
24Upshur County290.9-6.5%
25Lewis County287.1-14.2%
26Nicholas County270.7-8.3%
27Mason County250.2-1.2%
28Mingo County234.2-17.9%
29Boone County232.3-24%
30Hardy County204.4+6%
31Wyoming County194.7-17%
32McDowell County182.4-12.2%
33Grant County158.9+10.4%
34Wetzel County157.7-3.2%
35Ritchie County144.8-0.4%
36Taylor County143.5+0.2%
37Pleasants County142.5-3.8%
38Braxton County140.1-1.5%
39Hampshire County135.4-0.9%
40Barbour County124.2-2.1%
41Roane County112-1%
42Lincoln County106-2.8%
43Tyler County105.3-6.1%
44Tucker County102.1+0.6%
45Pocahontas County101.8+0.7%
46Morgan County100.2+2.5%
47Summers County86.9-7.6%
48Gilmer County82.7-13.3%
49Monroe County81.6+4.1%
50Doddridge County71.4+7.3%
51Webster County67.7-12.5%
52Pendleton County50.1-8.1%
53Clay County48.7+0.1%
54Calhoun County46.9-10.5%
55Wirt County18.8-2.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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 Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. 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 Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in West Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in West Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2016. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/west-virginia-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in West Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/west-virginia-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in West Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/west-virginia-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_west_virginia_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in West Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/west-virginia-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in West Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/west-virginia-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/west-virginia-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Kanawha County, with $5.04 billion in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Wirt County, with $18.8 million in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in West Virginia: more rankings