Town · West Virginia
Alderson, West Virginia
Alderson, town, mostly in Greenbrier County (88.0% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Monroe County, West Virginia. Alderson had 925 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 975 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,383 (±457). GEOID 5400772.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
925
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 975 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,383 ±457
Median household income
$32,212
±$11,891 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $59,608
Median home value
$130,400
±$27,610 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $162,600
Median gross rent
not published
West Virginia: $872
Where is Alderson and what county is it in?
Alderson is a town mostly in Greenbrier County (88.0% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Monroe County, West Virginia. It covers 0.9 square miles of land, 1,091 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Greenbrier County | 858 | 88.0% |
| Monroe County | 117 | 12.0% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Alderson, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 925 people lived in Alderson on July 1, 2025, down 4.7% since 2020, a steeper fall than West Virginia's (−1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 975 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,383 (±457).
| Measure | Alderson | Greenbrier County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,383 ±457 | 32,386 | no clear change |
| Households | 656 ±181 | 14,788 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.11 ±0.42 | 2.15 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 716 ±186 | 17,913 | no clear change |
Alderson's population since 2000
From 1,091 in 2000 to 925 in 2025: down 15.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Alderson as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Alderson?
The median resident of Alderson is 53.3 years old; 18.1% are under 18 and 28.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.4%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 5.8%.
| Measure | Alderson | Greenbrier County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.3 ±10.1 | 46.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.1% ±8.4 pts | 19.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.3% ±8.6 pts | 24.5% | – |
| Male | 54.7% ±9.5 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.9% ±1.7 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.4% ±6.8 pts | 91.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.8% ±6.7 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.8 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.0% ±1.8 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.8% ±1.4 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.4% ±4.9 pts | 8.3% | – |
| With a disability | 32.9% ±11.1 pts | 19.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.8% ±4.7 pts | 6.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 68.8% ±11.2 pts | 87.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.4% ±6.3 pts | 22.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.2% ±2.4 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.1% ±5.9 pts | 91.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Alderson earn?
Half of Alderson's 656 households earn less than $32,212 a year (±$11,891), against $48,218 in Greenbrier County and $59,608 in West Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $38,459 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 45.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Alderson | Greenbrier County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $32,212 ±$11,891 | $48,218 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $40,121 ±$9,925 | $69,064 | – |
| Per capita income | $20,158 ±$5,027 | $31,258 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 45.8% ±14.5 pts | 21.8% | +19.5 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 56.4% ±32.3 pts | 28.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 26.1% ±10.5 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 71.2% ±13.3 pts | 87.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 70.1% ±13.3 pts | 83.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Alderson?
Owners occupy 70.7% of Alderson's occupied homes and renters 29.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $130,400 by its owner (±$27,610).
| Measure | Alderson | Greenbrier County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $130,400 ±$27,610 | $149,000 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 56.3% ±23.6 pts | 44.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,067 ±$164 | $1,180 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.7% ±11.0 pts | 73.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.3% ±11.0 pts | 26.9% | – |
| Housing units | 716 ±186 | 17,913 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.0% ±8.7 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.6% ±8.1 pts | 74.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.7% ±2.3 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.7% ±9.4 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 30.9% ±11.0 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 15.2% ±7.8 pts | 5.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Alderson building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Alderson in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.2 across West Virginia.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Alderson work and get to work?
80.7% of Alderson's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 60.9 minutes.
| Measure | Alderson | Greenbrier County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 26.4% ±10.6 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% ±5.4 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.7% ±18.1 pts | 80.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.7% ±3.4 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±11.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 2.3% ±4.9 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.3% ±3.1 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 60.9 min ±33.1 | 25.2 min | +37.8 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Alderson?
No census tract lies mostly in Alderson; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9505Greenbrier County | 2,938 | $41,250 |
| Tract 9502Monroe County | 4,110 | $63,065 |
| Tract 9507.01Greenbrier County | 3,733 | $40,317 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Alderson) · Census block assignment files
How does Alderson compare with other places in West Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Alderson is the 10,609th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 106th-most populous of 230 in West Virginia.
Alderson is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 106th | 230 |
Alderson's figures with every place in West Virginia (CSV)
Every place in West Virginia, sortable · Compare Alderson with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Alderson?
23 of the 56 figures for Alderson on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Alderson are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Alderson.