Ritchie County, West Virginia Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Ritchie 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 Ritchie County, West Virginia. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Ritchie County, West Virginia. The estimated population of Ritchie County, West Virginia is 8,676 people, with a median age of 46.7.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
8,676
 -10.99% -13.28%
2020
9,747
 -0.99% -
2019
9,844
 -0.89% -
2018
9,932
 -0.73% -
2017
10,005
 - -

Population of Ritchie 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
96.5%
98.6%
 -2.13%
Black/African American
0.3%
0%
 0.00%
Native
0%
0%
 0.00%
Hispanic
0.1%
0.3%
 -66.67%
Asian
0.7%
0%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2%
0.5%
 +300.00%
Other
0.4%
0.6%
 -33.33%

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 Ritchie 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 46.7 -0.85% 47 +1.29% 46 -3.16%
2020 47.1 +0.64% 46.4 -1.49% 47.5 +1.93%
2019 46.8 +1.74% 47.1 +3.06% 46.6 +0.22%
2018 46 +0.44% 45.7 +0.44% 46.5 +1.09%
2017 45.8 - 45.5 - 46 -

The median age of Ritchie 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 9 461 -31.31% 608 -12.35% 332 536
10 to 19 660 -2.02% 464 -4.7% 643 438
20 to 29 512 -16.86% 483 -14.89% 428 406
30 to 39 509 -3.75% 563 -7.23% 460 521
40 to 49 644 -30.26% 629 -30.17% 463 458
50 to 59 930 -30.48% 728 -5% 674 686
60 to 69 639 +5.45% 738 -31.04% 658 528
70+ 650 +2.57% 787 1.19% 661 784

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Ritchie County, West Virginia is $45,184.00.

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 Ritchie County.

  • Under 25
    $16,000.00
  • 25 to 44
    $53,036.00
  • 45 to 64
    $56,607.00
  • 65 and over
    $36,715.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Ritchie 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 Ritchie County, West Virginia is currently $63,376.00.

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.

2.53% of households in Ritchie 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 Ritchie County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    24.93%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    29.13%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    19.10%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.46%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    7.15%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.71%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.53%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Ritchie County is $25,094.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Ritchie 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 Ritchie 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
    5.12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    9.92%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    7.65%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    73.23%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.09%

Employment

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

The total population of Ritchie County over the age of 16 is 7,095.

Of those people, a total of 43.10% 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 Ritchie County is 40.90%.

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 368 20.90% 2.60%
20 to 24 years 384 56.00% 6.50%
25 to 29 years 450 63.60% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 383 59.80% 13.10%
35 to 44 years 957 63.80% 1.60%
45 to 54 years 1,180 64.90% 9.30%
55 to 59 years 742 57.30% 1.90%
60 to 64 years 659 34.00% 4.50%
65 to 74 years 1,186 14.20% 6.50%
75 years and over 786 6.90% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Ritchie 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 6,953 42.90% 5.20%
Black or African American 6 100.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 28 92.90% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 16 100.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 92 29.30% 7.40%
Hispanic or Latino 11 63.60% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 6,942 42.80% 5.20%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Ritchie 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 Ritchie County is 2,900, with median earnings of $31,595.00.

Women in Ritchie County, West Virginia earning approximately 58.50% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 2,900 $31,595.00
Male 1,480 $42,407.00
Female 1,420 $24,787.00

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 260 $49,167.00
Business and Financial 115 $43,750.00
Computer and Mathematical 25 $122,768.00
Architecture and Engineering 12 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 3 $0.00
Community and Social Service 58 $31,500.00
Legal 16 $0.00
Educational and Library 89 $43,698.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 18 $52,083.00
Healthcare Practitioners 134 $32,344.00
Healthcare Support 81 $24,250.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 56 $12,167.00
Law Enforcement 1 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 106 $13,929.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 225 $16,760.00
Personal Care and Service 62 $20,909.00
Sales 315 $23,750.00
Office and Administrative Support 262 $23,839.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 356 $70,625.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 83 $37,135.00
Production 394 $31,400.00
Transportation and Material Moving 131 $42,596.00

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 98 $66,413.00 162 $48,292.00
Business and Financial 36 $48,750.00 79 $43,631.00
Computer and Mathematical 11 $0.00 14 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 12 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 3 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 12 $46,250.00 46 $30,000.00
Legal 0 $0.00 16 $0.00
Educational and Library 6 $0.00 83 $43,385.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 8 $0.00 10 $50,417.00
Healthcare Practitioners 22 $31,719.00 112 $40,345.00
Healthcare Support 6 $0.00 75 $22,750.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 20 $31,250.00 36 $11,600.00
Law Enforcement 1 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 20 $0.00 86 $7,097.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 122 $18,707.00 103 $16,143.00
Personal Care and Service 30 $0.00 32 $20,227.00
Sales 90 $31,905.00 225 $14,459.00
Office and Administrative Support 25 $0.00 237 $23,973.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 354 $70,729.00 2 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 83 $37,135.00 0 $0.00
Production 300 $41,250.00 94 $13,333.00
Transportation and Material Moving 127 $42,981.00 4 $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 3,121 households in Ritchie County, with an average household size of 2.77 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 2,238 families in Ritchie County with an average family size of 3.22 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 1,882 103 253 883
Average Household Size 3.15 4.26 4.74 1.2
Total Families 1,882 103 253 0
Average Household Size 3.07 3.92 4.07 0

Poverty

Of the 2,238 families in Ritchie County, 11.70% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Ritchie 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 4,310 housing units in Ritchie County, West Virginia.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 3,121 72.41%
Vacant 1,189 27.59%

8.35% of the total 4,310 housing units in Ritchie County are rental units. This is approximately 360 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,618 are occupied by the owner - or 60.74% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Ritchie County is $618.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Ritchie 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
    143
  • Less than $500
    119
  • $500 to $999
    222
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    19
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $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 Ritchie County is $97,100.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    583
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    800
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    488
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    292
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    227
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    152
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    49
  • $1,000,000 or more
    27

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,088
  • 1940 to 1949
    286
  • 1950 to 1959
    234
  • 1960 to 1969
    247
  • 1970 to 1979
    706
  • 1980 to 1989
    466
  • 1990 to 1999
    691
  • 2000 to 2009
    416
  • 2010 to 2013
    176
  • 2014 or later
    0

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 Ritchie County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    156
  • 1 vehicle available
    924
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,325
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    716

Commuting to Work

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

30.1 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Ritchie 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
    80
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    262
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    330
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    399
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    236
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    131
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    354
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    108
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    143
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    320
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    251
  • 90 or more minutes
    90

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Ritchie 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 Ritchie County, West Virginia

We have data for 9 places in Ritchie County, West Virginia. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.