Counties in West Virginia by wages and salaries paid

Kanawha County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 55 counties in 2018, at $5.22 billion. Wirt County had the lowest, at $20.03 million. The median was $271.65 million and the figure for West Virginia was $33.3 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest5,223.9Kanawha County
Lowest20Wirt County
Median271.755 counties
West Virginia33,296.5History

Map of counties, 2018

Barbour County: 151.9 USD millionBerkeley County: 1,657.6 USD millionBoone County: 271.7 USD millionBraxton County: 138.9 USD millionBrooke County: 355.5 USD millionCabell County: 2,445.5 USD millionCalhoun County: 55.7 USD millionClay County: 42.4 USD millionDoddridge County: 106.7 USD millionFayette County: 436.7 USD millionGilmer County: 82 USD millionGrant County: 145 USD millionGreenbrier County: 532 USD millionHampshire County: 135 USD millionHancock County: 428.6 USD millionHardy County: 216.1 USD millionHarrison County: 2,107.8 USD millionJackson County: 930.8 USD millionJefferson County: 802.1 USD millionKanawha County: 5,223.9 USD millionLewis County: 356.2 USD millionLincoln County: 88.8 USD millionLogan County: 453.8 USD millionMcDowell County: 210.8 USD millionMarion County: 852.7 USD millionMarshall County: 1,072 USD millionMason County: 257.9 USD millionMercer County: 799.3 USD millionMineral County: 353.3 USD millionMingo County: 285 USD millionMonongalia County: 3,197.4 USD millionMonroe County: 83.4 USD millionMorgan County: 105.9 USD millionNicholas County: 295.7 USD millionOhio County: 1,345.1 USD millionPendleton County: 50.6 USD millionPleasants County: 146.8 USD millionPocahontas County: 110 USD millionPreston County: 327.5 USD millionPutnam County: 1,262.2 USD millionRaleigh County: 1,427.3 USD millionRandolph County: 434.1 USD millionRitchie County: 153.6 USD millionRoane County: 122.9 USD millionSummers County: 87 USD millionTaylor County: 153.4 USD millionTucker County: 103 USD millionTyler County: 105.4 USD millionUpshur County: 319.4 USD millionWayne County: 396.7 USD millionWebster County: 63 USD millionWetzel County: 170.7 USD millionWirt County: 20 USD millionWood County: 1,611.4 USD millionWyoming County: 208.2 USD million
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 150
  • 150 to 270
  • 270 to 430
  • 430 to 1,100
  • 1,100 and over
USD million, 2018. 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, 2018

Kanawha County: 5,223.9 USD millionKanawha County5,223.9Monongalia County: 3,197.4 USD millionMonongalia County3,197.4Cabell County: 2,445.5 USD millionCabell County2,445.5Harrison County: 2,107.8 USD millionHarrison County2,107.8Berkeley County: 1,657.6 USD millionBerkeley County1,657.6Wood County: 1,611.4 USD millionWood County1,611.4Raleigh County: 1,427.3 USD millionRaleigh County1,427.3Ohio County: 1,345.1 USD millionOhio County1,345.1Putnam County: 1,262.2 USD millionPutnam County1,262.2Marshall County: 1,072 USD millionMarshall County1,072Jackson County: 930.8 USD millionJackson County930.8Marion County: 852.7 USD millionMarion County852.7Jefferson County: 802.1 USD millionJefferson County802.1Mercer County: 799.3 USD millionMercer County799.3Greenbrier County: 532 USD millionGreenbrier County532Logan County: 453.8 USD millionLogan County453.8Fayette County: 436.7 USD millionFayette County436.7Randolph County: 434.1 USD millionRandolph County434.1Hancock County: 428.6 USD millionHancock County428.6Wayne County: 396.7 USD millionWayne County396.7Lewis County: 356.2 USD millionLewis County356.2Brooke County: 355.5 USD millionBrooke County355.5Mineral County: 353.3 USD millionMineral County353.3Preston County: 327.5 USD millionPreston County327.5Upshur County: 319.4 USD millionUpshur County319.4Nicholas County: 295.7 USD millionNicholas County295.7Mingo County: 285 USD millionMingo County285Boone County: 271.7 USD millionBoone County271.7Mason County: 257.9 USD millionMason County257.9Hardy County: 216.1 USD millionHardy County216.1McDowell County: 210.8 USD millionMcDowell County210.8Wyoming County: 208.2 USD millionWyoming County208.2Wetzel County: 170.7 USD millionWetzel County170.7Ritchie County: 153.6 USD millionRitchie County153.6Taylor County: 153.4 USD millionTaylor County153.4Barbour County: 151.9 USD millionBarbour County151.9Pleasants County: 146.8 USD millionPleasants County146.8Grant County: 145 USD millionGrant County145Braxton County: 138.9 USD millionBraxton County138.9Hampshire County: 135 USD millionHampshire County135Roane County: 122.9 USD millionRoane County122.9Pocahontas County: 110 USD millionPocahontas County110Doddridge County: 106.7 USD millionDoddridge County106.7Morgan County: 105.9 USD millionMorgan County105.9Tyler County: 105.4 USD millionTyler County105.4Tucker County: 103 USD millionTucker County103Lincoln County: 88.8 USD millionLincoln County88.8Summers County: 87 USD millionSummers County87Monroe County: 83.4 USD millionMonroe County83.4Gilmer County: 82 USD millionGilmer County82Webster County: 63 USD millionWebster County63Calhoun County: 55.7 USD millionCalhoun County55.7Pendleton County: 50.6 USD millionPendleton County50.6Clay County: 42.4 USD millionClay County42.4Wirt County: 20 USD millionWirt County20Kanawha County: 5,223.9 USD millionKanawha County5,223.9Monongalia County: 3,197.4 USD millionMonongalia County3,197.4Cabell County: 2,445.5 USD millionCabell County2,445.5Harrison County: 2,107.8 USD millionHarrison County2,107.8Berkeley County: 1,657.6 USD millionBerkeley County1,657.6Wood County: 1,611.4 USD millionWood County1,611.4Raleigh County: 1,427.3 USD millionRaleigh County1,427.3Ohio County: 1,345.1 USD millionOhio County1,345.1Putnam County: 1,262.2 USD millionPutnam County1,262.2Marshall County: 1,072 USD millionMarshall County1,072Jackson County: 930.8 USD millionJackson County930.8Marion County: 852.7 USD millionMarion County852.7Jefferson County: 802.1 USD millionJefferson County802.1Mercer County: 799.3 USD millionMercer County799.3Greenbrier County: 532 USD millionGreenbrier County532Logan County: 453.8 USD millionLogan County453.8Fayette County: 436.7 USD millionFayette County436.7Randolph County: 434.1 USD millionRandolph County434.1Hancock County: 428.6 USD millionHancock County428.6Wayne County: 396.7 USD millionWayne County396.7Lewis County: 356.2 USD millionLewis County356.2Brooke County: 355.5 USD millionBrooke County355.5Mineral County: 353.3 USD millionMineral County353.3Preston County: 327.5 USD millionPreston County327.5Upshur County: 319.4 USD millionUpshur County319.4Nicholas County: 295.7 USD millionNicholas County295.7Mingo County: 285 USD millionMingo County285Boone County: 271.7 USD millionBoone County271.7Mason County: 257.9 USD millionMason County257.9Hardy County: 216.1 USD millionHardy County216.1McDowell County: 210.8 USD millionMcDowell County210.8Wyoming County: 208.2 USD millionWyoming County208.2Wetzel County: 170.7 USD millionWetzel County170.7Ritchie County: 153.6 USD millionRitchie County153.6Taylor County: 153.4 USD millionTaylor County153.4Barbour County: 151.9 USD millionBarbour County151.9Pleasants County: 146.8 USD millionPleasants County146.8Grant County: 145 USD millionGrant County145Braxton County: 138.9 USD millionBraxton County138.9Hampshire County: 135 USD millionHampshire County135Roane County: 122.9 USD millionRoane County122.9Pocahontas County: 110 USD millionPocahontas County110Doddridge County: 106.7 USD millionDoddridge County106.7Morgan County: 105.9 USD millionMorgan County105.9Tyler County: 105.4 USD millionTyler County105.4Tucker County: 103 USD millionTucker County103Lincoln County: 88.8 USD millionLincoln County88.8Summers County: 87 USD millionSummers County87Monroe County: 83.4 USD millionMonroe County83.4Gilmer County: 82 USD millionGilmer County82Webster County: 63 USD millionWebster County63Calhoun County: 55.7 USD millionCalhoun County55.7Pendleton County: 50.6 USD millionPendleton County50.6Clay County: 42.4 USD millionClay County42.4Wirt County: 20 USD millionWirt County20
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

RankCounties2018
USD million
Change on 2017
1Kanawha County5,223.9+2.3%
2Monongalia County3,197.4+3%
3Cabell County2,445.5+4.2%
4Harrison County2,107.8+12.2%
5Berkeley County1,657.6+8.7%
6Wood County1,611.4+2.8%
7Raleigh County1,427.3+6.2%
8Ohio County1,345.1+2.2%
9Putnam County1,262.2+13.3%
10Marshall County1,072+43.7%
11Jackson County930.8+177.1%
12Marion County852.7+1.2%
13Jefferson County802.1+6.8%
14Mercer County799.3+2.6%
15Greenbrier County532+3.9%
16Logan County453.8+5.3%
17Fayette County436.7+4%
18Randolph County434.1+4.7%
19Hancock County428.6+7.3%
20Wayne County396.7+3.1%
21Lewis County356.2+25%
22Brooke County355.5+3%
23Mineral County353.3+6.4%
24Preston County327.5+2.4%
25Upshur County319.4+7.5%
26Nicholas County295.7+8.8%
27Mingo County285+8.3%
28Boone County271.7+14.4%
29Mason County257.9+2.3%
30Hardy County216.1+1.8%
31McDowell County210.8+3.3%
32Wyoming County208.2+5.9%
33Wetzel County170.7+5.9%
34Ritchie County153.6+7.3%
35Taylor County153.4+3.6%
36Barbour County151.9+13.3%
37Pleasants County146.8+3.7%
38Grant County145-4.4%
39Braxton County138.9+0.7%
40Hampshire County135+2.2%
41Roane County122.9+5.7%
42Pocahontas County110+4.1%
43Doddridge County106.7+10.8%
44Morgan County105.9+4.1%
45Tyler County105.4-1.1%
46Tucker County103+1%
47Lincoln County88.8-16.8%
48Summers County87-0.9%
49Monroe County83.4-0%
50Gilmer County82+2.5%
51Webster County63-3.9%
52Calhoun County55.7+7.3%
53Pendleton County50.6+1.4%
54Clay County42.4-10.4%
55Wirt County20+9.4%

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, 2018) [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, 2018. 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=2018. 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, 2018. 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=2018.

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, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/west-virginia-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_west_virginia_2018,
  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, 2018}},
  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=2018. 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, 2018
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=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/west-virginia-counties?period=2018.
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 $5.22 billion in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Wirt County, with $20.03 million in 2018.

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