Hancock County, West Virginia
Located in West Virginia, Hancock County has a population of 28,431 residents and a median age of 47.0 years, making it the #1,526 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 14.5%. The median home value is $130,800, and the median household income is $61,466, which is 18% below the national median.
Demographics
Hancock County has a population of 28,431, making it the #1,526 most populous county in the US. The median age is 47.0 years, which is 20.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Hancock County is $61,466, ranking #1,936 out of 3,222 counties — 18.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 14.5% and unemployment stands at 8.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Hancock County is $130,800 (-53.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $771/mo and the homeownership rate is 74.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Hancock County, 19.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 41.0% below the national average, ranking #2,021 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Hancock County is 72.6 years. 23.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
21.4% of adults in Hancock County smoke , 45.1% are obese , and 17.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 62.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 13.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.9 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
17.2% of children in Hancock County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 18.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Hancock County is 58.7%. The mean commute time is 27.7 min, which is 0.3% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Hancock County voted Republican with a margin of 46.8%. The vote was 25.8% Dem / 72.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Hancock County, West Virginia
Hancock County, West Virginia has a total population of 28,431, making it the 1,526th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Hancock County is 47.0 years, which is 20.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Hancock County is $61,466, which ranks #1,936 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 18.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 14.5%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 8.4%.
The median home value in Hancock County is $130,800, 53.6% below the national median. Renters in Hancock County pay a median gross rent of $771 per month. The homeownership rate is 74.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Hancock County, 19.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 41.0% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.7 min.
Hancock County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.0% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (3.5%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (1.8%).
All data for Hancock County, West Virginia comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.