Kanawha County, West Virginia
Located in West Virginia, Kanawha County has a population of 176,537 residents and a median age of 43.8 years, making it the #388 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 15.7%. The median home value is $147,300, and the median household income is $60,943, which is 19% below the national median.
Demographics
Kanawha County has a population of 176,537, making it the #388 most populous county in the US. The median age is 43.8 years, which is 12.6% 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 Kanawha County is $60,943, ranking #1,998 out of 3,222 counties — 18.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 15.7% and unemployment stands at 5.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Kanawha County is $147,300 (-47.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $906/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Kanawha County, 29.7% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 11.9% below the national average, ranking #782 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Kanawha County is 71.0 years. 22.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.8% of adults in Kanawha County smoke , 40.3% are obese , and 18.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 104.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Kanawha County is 10.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 18.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.8 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
18.7% of children in Kanawha County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.9 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 24.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Kanawha County is 57.3%. The mean commute time is 23.9 min, which is 13.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Kanawha County voted Republican with a margin of 17.4%. The vote was 40.2% Dem / 57.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Kanawha County, West Virginia
Kanawha County, West Virginia has a total population of 176,537, making it the 388th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Kanawha County is 43.8 years, which is 12.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Kanawha County is $60,943, which ranks #1,998 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 18.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 15.7%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.6%.
The median home value in Kanawha County is $147,300, 47.7% below the national median. Renters in Kanawha County pay a median gross rent of $906 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Kanawha County, 29.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 11.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 23.9 min.
Kanawha County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.9% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (6.1%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (4.8%).
All data for Kanawha 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.