Raleigh County, West Virginia
Located in West Virginia, Raleigh County has a population of 73,195 residents and a median age of 42.9 years, making it the #765 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 22.8%. The median home value is $150,900, and the median household income is $52,150, which is 31% below the national median.
Demographics
Raleigh County has a population of 73,195, making it the #765 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.9 years, which is 10.3% 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 Raleigh County is $52,150, ranking #2,653 out of 3,222 counties — 30.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 22.8% and unemployment stands at 5.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Raleigh County is $150,900 (-46.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $902/mo and the homeownership rate is 75.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Raleigh County, 22.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 33.2% below the national average, ranking #1,578 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Raleigh County is 69.5 years. 25.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.8% of adults in Raleigh County smoke , 39.6% are obese , and 15.7% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 138.0 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Raleigh County is 6.9 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 21.2 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 15.8 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
21.0% of children in Raleigh County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 9.7 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 28.5 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Raleigh County is 56.6%. The mean commute time is 26.4 min, which is 4.2% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Raleigh County voted Republican with a margin of 54.4%. The vote was 22% Dem / 76.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Raleigh County, West Virginia
Raleigh County, West Virginia has a total population of 73,195, making it the 765th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Raleigh County is 42.9 years, which is 10.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Raleigh County is $52,150, which ranks #2,653 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 30.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 22.8%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.0%.
The median home value in Raleigh County is $150,900, 46.5% below the national median. Renters in Raleigh County pay a median gross rent of $902 per month. The homeownership rate is 75.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Raleigh County, 22.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 33.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.4 min.
Raleigh County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 86.9% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (6.7%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
All data for Raleigh 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.