McDowell County, WV community profile: poverty, income, insurance & broadband (ACS 2020–2024)
West Virginia county profiles · GEOID 54047
Free community demographics for grant writers, nonprofits and planners. These are period estimates, not current counts. Comparisons are descriptive; no statistical significance is implied.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year Data Profiles (2024 endpoint), tables DP02, DP03 and DP05. Estimate and MOE variable IDs appear below. Retrieved 2026-10-19. Census Data Profiles source.
Ready-to-paste need statements
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- In McDowell County, 34.2% (±6.2 percentage points) of people for whom poverty status was determined lived below the poverty line, compared with 16.7% in West Virginia and 12.5% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; DP03_0128PE).
- In McDowell County, 35.3% (±11.4 percentage points) of children under 18 for whom poverty status was determined lived below the poverty line, compared with 21.5% in West Virginia and 16.1% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; DP03_0129PE). Interpret with caution: large relative MOE.
- In McDowell County, 8.8% (±2.0 percentage points) of the civilian noninstitutionalized population had no health insurance coverage, compared with 6.0% in West Virginia and 8.4% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; DP03_0099PE).
- In McDowell County, median household income was $31,559 (±$2,515) in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars, compared with $59,608 in West Virginia and $80,734 nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; DP03_0062E).
- In McDowell County, 85.5% (±3.1 percentage points) of households had a broadband Internet subscription, compared with 86.1% in West Virginia and 91.0% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; DP02_0154PE).
- In McDowell County, 29.8% (±3.0 percentage points) of the civilian noninstitutionalized population had a disability, compared with 19.1% in West Virginia and 13.3% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; DP02_0072PE).
18 community indicators
± denotes the 90% margin of error (MOE). Percentage MOEs use percentage points (pp). Read definitions and cautions.
| Indicator and population | County ± MOE | West Virginia ± MOE | US ± MOE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total populationDP05_0001E / DP05_0001M · Total population | 17,943MOE unavailableOfficial controlled total (no MOE) | 1,778,373MOE unavailableOfficial controlled total (no MOE) | 334,922,499MOE unavailableOfficial controlled total (no MOE) |
| Under age 5DP05_0005PE / DP05_0005PM · Total population | 4.0% ± 0.2 pp | 5.0% ± 0.1 pp | 5.6% ± 0.1 pp |
| Under age 18DP05_0019PE / DP05_0019PM · Total population | 18.2% ± 0.8 pp | 20.0% ± 0.1 pp | 22.0% ± 0.1 pp |
| Age 65 and overDP05_0024PE / DP05_0024PM · Total population | 21.9% ± 0.1 pp | 21.0% ± 0.1 pp | 17.2% ± 0.1 pp |
| Total householdsDP02_0001E / DP02_0001M · Households | 6,467 ± 288 | 728,655 ± 3,249 | 129,227,496 ± 209,365 |
| Median household incomeDP03_0062E / DP03_0062M · Households | $31,559 ± $2,515 | $59,608 ± $691 | $80,734 ± $166 |
| Per capita incomeDP03_0088E / DP03_0088M · Total population | $17,253 ± $1,792 | $34,203 ± $337 | $44,673 ± $122 |
| Poverty rateDP03_0128PE / DP03_0128PM · Population for whom poverty status is determined | 34.2% ± 6.2 pp | 16.7% ± 0.4 pp | 12.5% ± 0.1 pp |
| Child poverty rateDP03_0129PE / DP03_0129PM · Population under 18 for whom poverty status is determined | 35.3% ± 11.4 ppInterpret with caution: large relative MOE. | 21.5% ± 0.9 pp | 16.1% ± 0.2 pp |
| Unemployment rateDP03_0009PE / DP03_0009PM · Civilian labor force age 16 and over | 8.2% ± 4.5 ppInterpret with caution: large relative MOE. | 5.4% ± 0.2 pp | 5.2% ± 0.1 pp |
| UninsuredDP03_0099PE / DP03_0099PM · Civilian noninstitutionalized population | 8.8% ± 2.0 pp | 6.0% ± 0.2 pp | 8.4% ± 0.1 pp |
| Households receiving SNAPDP03_0074PE / DP03_0074PM · Households | 36.5% ± 5.4 pp | 17.3% ± 0.4 pp | 12.1% ± 0.1 pp |
| High school graduate or higherDP02_0067PE / DP02_0067PM · Population age 25 and over | 75.5% ± 3.0 pp | 89.3% ± 0.3 pp | 89.6% ± 0.1 pp |
| Bachelor’s degree or higherDP02_0068PE / DP02_0068PM · Population age 25 and over | 6.8% ± 2.1 ppInterpret with caution: large relative MOE. | 24.1% ± 0.4 pp | 35.7% ± 0.2 pp |
| Broadband subscriptionDP02_0154PE / DP02_0154PM · Households | 85.5% ± 3.1 pp | 86.1% ± 0.3 pp | 91.0% ± 0.1 pp |
| DisabilityDP02_0072PE / DP02_0072PM · Civilian noninstitutionalized population | 29.8% ± 3.0 pp | 19.1% ± 0.3 pp | 13.3% ± 0.1 pp |
| Civilian veteransDP02_0070PE / DP02_0070PM · Civilian population age 18 and over | 4.7% ± 1.3 pp | 7.4% ± 0.2 pp | 6.2% ± 0.1 pp |
| Speak English less than very wellDP02_0115PE / DP02_0115PM · Population age 5 and over | 1.5% ± 0.5 ppInterpret with caution: large relative MOE. | 0.7% ± 0.1 pp | 8.6% ± 0.1 pp |
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Similar population in West Virginia
Up to six other counties closest by absolute population difference; these are not geographic neighbors.
- Morgan County — 17,426 residents
- Lewis County — 16,740 residents
- Taylor County — 16,487 residents
- Lincoln County — 19,902 residents
- Barbour County — 15,424 residents
- Wyoming County — 20,629 residents