Summers County, West Virginia Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Summers 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 Summers County, West Virginia. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Summers County, West Virginia. The estimated population of Summers County, West Virginia is 12,125 people, with a median age of 49.5.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
12,125
 -4.6% -8.21%
2020
12,710
 -1.07% -
2019
12,848
 -1.31% -
2018
13,018
 -1.45% -
2017
13,210
 - -

Population of Summers 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
91.9%
91.8%
 +0.11%
Black/African American
3.8%
4.9%
 -22.45%
Native
0.1%
0.3%
 -66.67%
Hispanic
2.2%
1.2%
 +83.33%
Asian
0%
0%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2%
1.7%
 +17.65%
Other
0.1%
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 Summers 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 49.5 -0.2% 49.6 0% 49.4 -0.4%
2020 49.6 +1.02% 49.6 +1.43% 49.6 +0.81%
2019 49.1 +1.87% 48.9 +2.52% 49.2 +1.44%
2018 48.2 +1.9% 47.7 +0.85% 48.5 +2.75%
2017 47.3 - 47.3 - 47.2 -

The median age of Summers 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 9 514 -0.74% 605 -24.52% 509 466
10 to 19 720 -10.23% 606 0.25% 648 606
20 to 29 537 +0.81% 783 -34.4% 538 543
30 to 39 760 -31.65% 994 -24.92% 539 766
40 to 49 659 +6.78% 896 -2.64% 693 871
50 to 59 924 -0.67% 1,103 -26.98% 917 826
60 to 69 1,008 +3.64% 1,134 +10.37% 1,042 1,244
70+ 847 -0.13% 1,120 -3.96% 843 1,074

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Summers County, West Virginia is $41,077.00.

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 Summers County.

  • Under 25
    $54,091.00
  • 25 to 44
    $58,056.00
  • 45 to 64
    $47,262.00
  • 65 and over
    $30,757.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Summers 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 Summers County, West Virginia is currently $54,396.00.

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.

1.49% of households in Summers 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 Summers County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    30.37%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    26.70%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.04%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.72%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    10.08%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    2.61%
  • $200,000 or more
    1.49%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Summers County is $23,195.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Summers 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 Summers 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
    10.03%
  • Bachelor's degree
    16.89%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    11.80%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    58.27%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3.01%

Employment

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

The total population of Summers County over the age of 16 is 10,340.

Of those people, a total of 38.50% 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 Summers County is 35.60%.

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 444 49.50% 20.50%
20 to 24 years 421 70.10% 24.40%
25 to 29 years 660 55.90% 10.30%
30 to 34 years 630 67.80% 8.90%
35 to 44 years 1,484 56.10% 7.40%
45 to 54 years 1,543 52.20% 2.90%
55 to 59 years 955 47.20% 2.40%
60 to 64 years 1,128 29.50% 3.00%
65 to 74 years 1,832 11.20% 0.00%
75 years and over 1,243 3.10% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Summers 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 9,681 39.20% 7.80%
Black or African American 437 37.10% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 8 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 0 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 11 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 203 8.40% 5.90%
Hispanic or Latino 211 35.10% 48.60%
Not Hispanic or Latino 9,533 39.10% 7.00%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Summers 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 Summers County is 3,679, with median earnings of $34,529.00.

Women in Summers County, West Virginia earning approximately 79.20% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 3,679 $34,529.00
Male 2,001 $38,906.00
Female 1,678 $30,825.00

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 340 $43,556.00
Business and Financial 93 $51,328.00
Computer and Mathematical 215 $39,088.00
Architecture and Engineering 13 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 95 $11,063.00
Legal 26 $59,286.00
Educational and Library 196 $34,900.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 23 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 239 $105,129.00
Healthcare Support 130 $32,500.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 94 $23,077.00
Law Enforcement 115 $36,010.00
Food Preparation and Serving 172 $7,262.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 109 $22,153.00
Personal Care and Service 51 $9,688.00
Sales 349 $22,835.00
Office and Administrative Support 389 $27,321.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 34 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 283 $45,240.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 187 $54,922.00
Production 179 $40,852.00
Transportation and Material Moving 253 $46,771.00

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 209 $43,583.00 131 $39,875.00
Business and Financial 39 $0.00 54 $34,643.00
Computer and Mathematical 152 $38,873.00 63 $43,813.00
Architecture and Engineering 0 $0.00 13 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 18 $15,769.00 77 $10,750.00
Legal 12 $0.00 14 $0.00
Educational and Library 22 $0.00 174 $34,350.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 20 $0.00 3 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 23 $0.00 216 $105,357.00
Healthcare Support 43 $43,009.00 87 $16,250.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 76 $6,000.00 18 $0.00
Law Enforcement 90 $29,894.00 25 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 61 $32,574.00 111 $6,399.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 66 $26,176.00 43 $4,650.00
Personal Care and Service 22 $0.00 29 $30,083.00
Sales 95 $57,798.00 254 $21,703.00
Office and Administrative Support 122 $27,837.00 267 $26,488.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 34 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 283 $45,240.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 187 $54,922.00 0 $0.00
Production 169 $41,420.00 10 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 200 $55,556.00 53 $41,140.00

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 4,982 households in Summers County, with an average household size of 2.28 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 3,006 families in Summers County with an average family size of 2.9 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 2,228 341 437 1,976
Average Household Size 2.95 2.62 3.78 1.14
Total Families 2,228 341 437 0
Average Household Size 2.88 2.48 3.32 0

Poverty

Of the 3,006 families in Summers County, 17.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Summers 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 6,668 housing units in Summers County, West Virginia.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 4,982 74.72%
Vacant 1,686 25.28%

14.13% of the total 6,668 housing units in Summers County are rental units. This is approximately 942 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 3,807 are occupied by the owner - or 57.09% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Summers County is $748.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Summers 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
    233
  • Less than $500
    205
  • $500 to $999
    687
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    50
  • $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 Summers County is $104,500.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    667
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,152
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    839
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    650
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    231
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    176
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    92
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,396
  • 1940 to 1949
    477
  • 1950 to 1959
    396
  • 1960 to 1969
    482
  • 1970 to 1979
    854
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,128
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,024
  • 2000 to 2009
    679
  • 2010 to 2013
    232
  • 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 Summers County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    444
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,772
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,844
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    922

Commuting to Work

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

34 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Summers 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
    73
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    228
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    293
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    568
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    467
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    71
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    357
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    105
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    120
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    557
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    237
  • 90 or more minutes
    215

Summary

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

We have data for 4 places in Summers County, West Virginia. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.