Preston County, West Virginia
Located in West Virginia, Preston County has a population of 34,160 residents and a median age of 43.3 years, making it the #1,361 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.8%. The median home value is $162,800, and the median household income is $61,880, which is 18% below the national median.
Demographics
Preston County has a population of 34,160, making it the #1,361 most populous county in the US. The median age is 43.3 years, which is 11.3% 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 Preston County is $61,880, ranking #1,906 out of 3,222 counties — 17.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.8% and unemployment stands at 5.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Preston County is $162,800 (-42.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $750/mo and the homeownership rate is 81.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Preston County, 17.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 47.9% below the national average, ranking #2,420 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Preston County is 74.0 years. 25.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 8.4% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
23.1% of adults in Preston County smoke , 41.0% are obese , and 18.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 36.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Preston County is 5.5 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 23.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.1 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
21.9% of children in Preston County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 9.0 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 20.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Preston County is 54.0%. The mean commute time is 34.2 min, which is 23.8% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Preston County voted Republican with a margin of 57.0%. The vote was 20.5% Dem / 77.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Preston County, West Virginia
Preston County, West Virginia has a total population of 34,160, making it the 1,361st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Preston County is 43.3 years, which is 11.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Preston County is $61,880, which ranks #1,906 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 17.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.8%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.3%.
The median home value in Preston County is $162,800, 42.2% below the national median. Renters in Preston County pay a median gross rent of $750 per month. The homeownership rate is 81.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Preston County, 17.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 47.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 34.2 min.
Preston County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 87.3% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (6.5%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
All data for Preston 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.