Lincoln County, West Virginia Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Lincoln County, West Virginia, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Lincoln County, West Virginia. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Lincoln County, West Virginia. The estimated population of Lincoln County, West Virginia is 20,625 people, with a median age of 42.7.

We can look at the total population in Lincoln County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
20,625
+0.04%
-2.90%
2020
20,617
 -1.12% -
2019
20,850
 -1.08% -
2018
21,078
 -0.77% -
2017
21,241
 - -

Population of Lincoln County, West Virginia by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
97%
98%
 -1.02%
Black/African American
0.6%
0.5%
 +20.00%
Native
0.2%
0.2%
 0.00%
Hispanic
0.7%
0.6%
 +16.67%
Asian
0.4%
0.2%
 +100.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1%
0.5%
 +100.00%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Lincoln County, West Virginia by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 42.7 -0.93% 41.9 +1.45% 43.3 -1.14%
2020 43.1 -0.23% 41.3 -0.48% 43.8 +0.23%
2019 43.2 +0.47% 41.5 +0.24% 43.7 +0.23%
2018 43 +0.7% 41.4 +0.98% 43.6 +0.23%
2017 42.7 - 41 - 43.5 -

The median age of Lincoln County, West Virginia gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 1,364 -2.78% 1,371 -17.14% 1,319 1,149
10 to 19 1,372 -5.94% 1,019 +17.24% 1,278 1,203
20 to 29 1,147 -10.34% 1,181 -5.57% 1,032 1,115
30 to 39 1,227 -4.14% 1,205 +1.39% 1,159 1,209
40 to 49 1,463 -8.67% 1,512 -12.87% 1,316 1,322
50 to 59 1,561 -3.28% 1,635 -19.08% 1,502 1,344
60 to 69 1,427 +14.81% 1,387 +10.21% 1,650 1,530
70+ 1,083 -5.16% 1,287 +13.94% 1,023 1,474

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Lincoln County, West Virginia is $46,683.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Lincoln County.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $49,681.00
  • 45 to 64
    $54,853.00
  • 65 and over
    $32,841.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Lincoln County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Lincoln County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Lincoln County, West Virginia is currently $60,210.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

2.19% of households in Lincoln County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Lincoln County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    31.14%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    23.16%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    21.11%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    10.14%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    10.41%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1.84%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.19%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Lincoln County is $23,804.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Lincoln County by the total population of Lincoln County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Lincoln County, West Virginia, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Lincoln County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    3.72%
  • Bachelor's degree
    10.13%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    13.02%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    71.01%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.12%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Lincoln County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Lincoln County over the age of 16 is 16,566.

Of those people, a total of 42.50% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Lincoln County is 39.70%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 890 8.30% 0.00%
20 to 24 years 1,044 63.60% 9.20%
25 to 29 years 1,103 62.10% 28.20%
30 to 34 years 990 56.40% 8.60%
35 to 44 years 2,659 60.20% 3.50%
45 to 54 years 2,858 63.60% 3.00%
55 to 59 years 1,345 53.20% 0.70%
60 to 64 years 1,692 35.70% 6.50%
65 to 74 years 2,449 11.10% 0.00%
75 years and over 1,536 2.90% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Lincoln County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 16,216 42.70% 6.30%
Black or African American 30 100.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 34 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 70 37.10% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 38 39.50% 0.00%
Other 0 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 178 20.20% 47.20%
Hispanic or Latino 118 38.10% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 16,126 42.70% 6.40%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Lincoln County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Lincoln County is 6,582, with median earnings of $36,129.00.

Women in Lincoln County, West Virginia earning approximately 61.20% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 6,582 $36,129.00
Male 3,543 $45,518.00
Female 3,039 $27,850.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 430 $34,333.00
Business and Financial 15 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 43 $37,240.00
Architecture and Engineering 92 $70,833.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 175 $26,352.00
Legal 9 $0.00
Educational and Library 250 $33,929.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 53 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 397 $63,513.00
Healthcare Support 375 $19,854.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 127 $34,375.00
Law Enforcement 59 $42,545.00
Food Preparation and Serving 284 $24,477.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 340 $23,548.00
Personal Care and Service 130 $6,900.00
Sales 866 $28,750.00
Office and Administrative Support 867 $29,493.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 18 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 564 $63,750.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 359 $60,563.00
Production 436 $43,068.00
Transportation and Material Moving 464 $42,115.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 165 $14,443.00 265 $95,720.00
Business and Financial 15 $0.00 0 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 35 $0.00 8 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 57 $0.00 35 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 31 $21,845.00 144 $26,463.00
Legal 9 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 0 $0.00 250 $33,929.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 40 $0.00 13 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 112 $63,966.00 285 $52,070.00
Healthcare Support 18 $0.00 357 $19,479.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 118 $34,886.00 9 $0.00
Law Enforcement 59 $42,545.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 93 $33,050.00 191 $22,986.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 245 $25,612.00 95 $16,563.00
Personal Care and Service 23 $0.00 107 $6,325.00
Sales 460 $41,458.00 406 $27,500.00
Office and Administrative Support 198 $26,905.00 669 $29,729.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 18 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 564 $63,750.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 359 $60,563.00 0 $0.00
Production 348 $37,131.00 88 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 431 $48,313.00 33 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 7,759 households in Lincoln County, with an average household size of 2.65 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 5,789 families in Lincoln County with an average family size of 3.1 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 4,608 321 860 1,970
Average Household Size 3.14 3.23 3.42 1.07
Total Families 4,608 321 860 0
Average Household Size 3.1 3.07 3.14 0

Poverty

Of the 5,789 families in Lincoln County, 13.60% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Lincoln County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 9,598 housing units in Lincoln County, West Virginia.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 7,759 80.84%
Vacant 1,839 19.16%

9.25% of the total 9,598 housing units in Lincoln County are rental units. This is approximately 888 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 6,175 are occupied by the owner - or 64.34% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Lincoln County is $666.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Lincoln County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    696
  • Less than $500
    206
  • $500 to $999
    627
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    37
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    18
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Lincoln County is $82,900.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Lincoln County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    1,547
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    2,065
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    763
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    905
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    696
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    128
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    71
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Lincoln County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Lincoln County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    813
  • 1940 to 1949
    462
  • 1950 to 1959
    548
  • 1960 to 1969
    830
  • 1970 to 1979
    2,001
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,627
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,615
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,297
  • 2010 to 2013
    385
  • 2014 or later
    20

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Lincoln County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    808
  • 1 vehicle available
    2,596
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,709
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,646

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Lincoln County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Lincoln County that commute to work in a particular way.

35 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Lincoln County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    401
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    393
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    169
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    342
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    448
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    292
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    1,162
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    390
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    293
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    1,092
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    467
  • 90 or more minutes
    322

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Lincoln County, West Virginia in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Lincoln County, West Virginia

We have data for 3 places in Lincoln County, West Virginia. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.