Price increase coming January 31. Buy now and save
by Kristen Carney
Updated: December 17, 2024
The richest city in West Virginia is Holden in Logan County with an average household income of $259,196 as of 2023. While exceptionally affluent, Holden only has a population of 561 as of 2023. The richest city in West Virginia with at least 5,000 people is Cheat Lake in Monongalia County with an average household income of $161,668 as of 2023 and 10,485 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | City | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Holden | Logan | 561 | $259,196 | $79,960 |
2 | Booth | Monongalia | 156 | $255,396 | $234,097 |
3 | Mount Carbon | Fayette | 519 | $186,186 | -$1 |
4 | Big Creek | Logan | 249 | $175,870 | -$1 |
5 | Green Bank | Pocahontas | 51 | $172,647 | -$1 |
6 | Shenandoah Junction | Jefferson | 1,339 | $170,415 | $109,048 |
7 | Cheat Lake | Monongalia | 10,485 | $161,668 | $111,379 |
8 | North Hills | Wood | 817 | $159,658 | $143,125 |
9 | Ghent | Raleigh | 363 | $142,898 | $143,208 |
10 | Clifton | Mason | 392 | $140,003 | -$1 |
11 | East Dailey | Randolph | 320 | $129,402 | $106,306 |
12 | Mallory | Logan | 1,453 | $127,705 | -$1 |
13 | Harpers Ferry | Jefferson | 268 | $126,367 | $111,600 |
14 | Cassville | Monongalia | 900 | $124,022 | $117,643 |
15 | Bridgeport | Harrison | 9,377 | $121,973 | $99,936 |
16 | Chelyan | Kanawha | 252 | $121,209 | $96,250 |
17 | Teays Valley | Putnam | 13,961 | $117,200 | $106,798 |
18 | Justice Addition | Logan | 147 | $115,027 | -$1 |
19 | Charles Town | Jefferson | 7,672 | $114,938 | $94,830 |
20 | Valley Bend | Randolph | 713 | $110,293 | $93,352 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
Join thousands of subscribers and receive just 1 (ONE!) email a year in December when the US Census Bureau releases new income data for West Virginia richest cities.
United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
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