Ritchie County, West Virginia
Located in West Virginia, Ritchie County has a population of 8,286 residents and a median age of 46.1 years, making it the #2,629 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 21.6%. The median home value is $115,900, and the median household income is $50,582, which is 33% below the national median.
Demographics
Ritchie County has a population of 8,286, making it the #2,629 most populous county in the US. The median age is 46.1 years, which is 18.5% 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 Ritchie County is $50,582, ranking #2,741 out of 3,222 counties — 32.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 21.6% and unemployment stands at 2.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Ritchie County is $115,900 (-58.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $579/mo and the homeownership rate is 84.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Ritchie County, 14.4% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 57.2% below the national average, ranking #2,894 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Ritchie County is 73.3 years. 28.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 8.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
27.0% of adults in Ritchie County smoke , 40.8% are obese , and 16.6% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 22.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 23.1 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
24.5% of children in Ritchie County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 31.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Ritchie County is 55.5%. The mean commute time is 34.8 min, which is 26.2% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Ritchie County voted Republican with a margin of 73.0%. The vote was 12.8% Dem / 85.8% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Ritchie County, West Virginia
Ritchie County, West Virginia has a total population of 8,286, making it the 2,629th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Ritchie County is 46.1 years, which is 18.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Ritchie County is $50,582, which ranks #2,741 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 32.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 21.6%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.4%.
The median home value in Ritchie County is $115,900, 58.9% below the national median. Renters in Ritchie County pay a median gross rent of $579 per month. The homeownership rate is 84.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Ritchie County, 14.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 57.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 34.8 min.
Ritchie County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 96.5% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (1.4%) and Asian (non-Hispanic) (1.3%).
All data for Ritchie 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.