City profile · West Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Barboursville, WV

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Barboursville - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,394
Residents
$59,531
Median income
$212,000
Median home
$973
Median rent (state)

Barboursville - the verdict

Nationally, Barboursville sits in the 34th percentile for household income and the 17th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

34th
percentile, household income
46th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
17th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Barboursville, WV

Barboursville is a small town in West Virginia, home to 4,394 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Barboursville brings in $59,531 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.6%. Home values in Barboursville run a median of $212,000, and the median resident age is 35.4 years. 36.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 48.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 87% from five years earlier. Barboursville's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2888.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in West Virginia run below the national norm: the state registers 89.5 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $973 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $220 across West Virginia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 85.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

4,394 residents

Census ACS 2023 - West Virginia

Median Household Income

$59,531 /yr

Poverty 3.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.5 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, West Virginia average

How does Barboursville compare to other US cities?

Here's how Barboursville stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 34% higher than other cities
Home value 46% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 17% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to West Virginia alone, Barboursville ranks #35 of 45 West Virginia cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Barboursville against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to West Virginia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

West Virginia-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Barboursville toward the top of West Virginia's cities

Among the 390 West Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Barboursville ranks #43 - the 89th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Barboursville only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#108 of 330
67th percentile in West Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#107 of 390
67th percentile in West Virginia
Median Home Value
#41 of 337
88th percentile in West Virginia
Poverty Rate
#280 of 389
28th percentile in West Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#43 of 390
89th percentile in West Virginia

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within West Virginia only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

34thIncome percentile
17thSafety percentile

34th percentile nationally for median household income · 17th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Barboursville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Barboursville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 41 Avg. percentile National median
Barboursville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Barboursville's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$212,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 54% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Barboursville $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Barboursville, WV Barboursville, WV's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Barboursville, WV-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Barboursville, WV median $59,531/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Barboursville, WV's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Barboursville, WV. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,394
Median Income
$59,531
Median Home Value
$212,000
Median Age
35.4
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Labor force participation
48.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2888.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
46.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2842.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,250 residents4,300 residents4,350 residents4,400 residents4,450 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,436 residents 4,307 residents ▼ -2.9%
Barboursville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 8
2020 3
2021 2
2022 2
2023 1
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 87% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.0%
Carpool
1.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
6.5%
Work from Home
15.9%

Based on 1,755 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for West Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$38
avg/month
Total Utilities
$220
estimated/month

Estimates reflect West Virginia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a West Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Barboursville sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.5
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$973/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in West Virginia

Grafton
4,671 people
Point Pleasant
4,009 people
Westover
4,007 people
Keyser
4,870 people
Pinch
3,893 people
Weston
3,884 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Barboursville's 4,394 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Brooktrails, CA
4,394 people
Palacios, TX
4,394 people
Chinle, AZ
4,395 people
Emerald Lake Hills, CA
4,396 people
North Terre Haute, IN
4,396 people
Scottdale, PA
4,392 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Barboursville's $59,531 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Black Rock, AR
$59,531 median income
Perryville, AR
$59,531 median income
Monroe, MI
$59,532 median income
Taylor, MI
$59,537 median income
Chisholm, ME
$59,524 median income
Bayshore, OR
$59,538 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Barboursville, WV Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Barboursville, WV - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 90.1% Black or African American 4.0% Asian 4.5% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.1% Two or more races 1.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Barboursville compares to nearby West Virginia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Barboursville (this city) 4,394 $59,531
Grafton 4,671 $38,872
Point Pleasant 4,009 $40,837
Westover 4,007 $58,333
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WV FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Barboursville, WV?

What is the population of Barboursville, WV? +

The population of Barboursville, WV stands at 4,394 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Barboursville, WV? +

In Barboursville, the typical household earns $59,531 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Barboursville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Barboursville; the closest available measure is the West Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 89.5 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within West Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Barboursville, WV safe? +

Barboursville has a total crime rate of 2888.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Barboursville, WV? +

The median home value in Barboursville is $212,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.