McDowell County, West Virginia
Located in West Virginia, McDowell County has a population of 17,943 residents and a median age of 43.7 years, making it the #1,993 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 34.2%. The median home value is $50,000, and the median household income is $31,559, which is 58% below the national median.
Demographics
McDowell County has a population of 17,943, making it the #1,993 most populous county in the US. The median age is 43.7 years, which is 12.3% 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 McDowell County is $31,559, ranking #3,142 out of 3,222 counties — 58.0% below the national median. The poverty rate is 34.2% and unemployment stands at 8.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in McDowell County is $50,000 (-82.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $643/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In McDowell County, 6.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 79.9% below the national average, ranking #3,219 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in McDowell County is 65.1 years. 33.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.4% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
28.1% of adults in McDowell County smoke , 44.3% are obese , and 14.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 180.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in McDowell County is 19.0 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 33.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 27.6 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
36.9% of children in McDowell County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 36.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in McDowell County is 45.9%. The mean commute time is 39.5 min, which is 42.9% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, McDowell County voted Republican with a margin of 60.3%. The vote was 19.1% Dem / 79.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About McDowell County, West Virginia
McDowell County, West Virginia has a total population of 17,943, making it the 1,993rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in McDowell County is 43.7 years, which is 12.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in McDowell County is $31,559, which ranks #3,142 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 58.0% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 34.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 8.2%.
The median home value in McDowell County is $50,000, 82.3% below the national median. Renters in McDowell County pay a median gross rent of $643 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In McDowell County, 6.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 79.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 39.5 min.
McDowell County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 86.5% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (8.8%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
All data for McDowell 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.