City · West Virginia
Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon, city, in Upshur County, West Virginia. Buckhannon had 5,054 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,186 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,116 (±31). GEOID 5411188.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,054
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,186 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,116 ±31
Median household income
$54,615
±$11,950 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $59,608
Median home value
$158,100
±$8,438 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $162,600
Median gross rent
$885
±$185 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $872
Where is Buckhannon and what county is it in?
Buckhannon is a city in Upshur County, West Virginia. It covers 2.8 square miles of land, 1,820 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Buckhannon, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,054 people lived in Buckhannon on July 1, 2025, down 2.6% since 2020, a steeper fall than West Virginia's (−1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 5,186 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,116 (±31).
| Measure | Buckhannon | Upshur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,116 ±31 | 23,712 | −370 |
| Households | 1,902 ±184 | 9,557 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.05 ±0.20 | 2.34 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,255 ±210 | 11,281 | no clear change |
Buckhannon's population since 2000
From 5,725 in 2000 to 5,054 in 2025: down 11.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Buckhannon 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 Buckhannon?
The median resident of Buckhannon is 32.8 years old; 14.2% are under 18 and 14.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.8%. 3.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Buckhannon | Upshur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 ±3.5 | 42.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 14.2% ±3.1 pts | 20.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.0% ±2.8 pts | 21.8% | – |
| Male | 50.4% ±4.0 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.5% ±1.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.1% ±4.3 pts | 91.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.2% ±2.1 pts | 1.2% | −3.5 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±1.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±3.2 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.7% ±1.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.5% ±1.7 pts | 7.5% | – |
| With a disability | 14.8% ±3.4 pts | 15.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.2% ±2.6 pts | 6.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.3% ±4.5 pts | 88.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.4% ±6.0 pts | 18.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.4% ±2.9 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.3% ±6.0 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 7.4% ±3.3 pts | 2.1% | – |
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 Buckhannon earn?
Half of Buckhannon's 1,902 households earn less than $54,615 a year (±$11,950), against $54,338 in Upshur County and $59,608 in West Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $48,870 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Buckhannon | Upshur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,615 ±$11,950 | $54,338 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $74,599 ±$12,991 | $71,843 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,231 ±$5,267 | $30,013 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.7% ±6.2 pts | 19.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 30.6% ±16.1 pts | 23.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 25.3% ±7.6 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.0% ±6.3 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.4% ±7.8 pts | 86.1% | – |
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 Buckhannon?
Owners occupy 62.7% of Buckhannon's occupied homes and renters 37.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $158,100 by its owner (±$8,438). The median renter pays $885 a month including utilities, and 38.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Buckhannon | Upshur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $158,100 ±$8,438 | $170,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $885 ±$185 | $886 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.2% ±15.0 pts | 38.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,151 ±$100 | $1,158 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62.7% ±7.6 pts | 80.7% | +11.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 37.3% ±7.6 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Housing units | 2,255 ±210 | 11,281 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 5.5% ±5.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.5% ±2.9 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.8% ±5.8 pts | 72.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 20.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.0% ±1.6 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 32.3% ±7.6 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 16.0% ±6.1 pts | 8.2% | – |
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 Buckhannon building?
Builders took permits for 3 new housing units in Buckhannon in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.6 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 Buckhannon work and get to work?
64.6% of Buckhannon's workers drive alone and 14.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.3 minutes.
| Measure | Buckhannon | Upshur County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 46.2% ±5.2 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% ±3.4 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 64.6% ±10.0 pts | 80.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.4% ±3.8 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 12.5% ±7.7 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.8% ±8.0 pts | 11.0% | +8.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.3 min ±4.1 | 28.1 min | +5.9 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 Buckhannon?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Buckhannon, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $60,652 (Tract 9669) to $68,269 (Tract 9667).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9667Upshur County | 3,275 | $68,269 |
| Tract 9668Upshur County | 3,823 | $41,667 |
| Tract 9669Upshur County | 2,962 | $60,652 |
| Tract 9666Upshur County | 4,718 | $52,101 |
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 Buckhannon) · Census block assignment files
How does Buckhannon compare with other places in West Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Buckhannon is the 4,865th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 25th-most populous of 230 in West Virginia.
Buckhannon ranks 72nd of 138 places in West Virginia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 25th | 230 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 29th | 102 |
| Residents per square mile | 34th | 146 |
| Median household income | 72nd | 138 |
| Per capita income | 87th | 144 |
| Median home value | 50th | 142 |
| Median gross rent | 48th | 123 |
| Poverty rate | 53rd | 111 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61st | 135 |
| Median age | 138th | 146 |
| Owner-occupied share | 105th | 146 |
| Work from home | 10th | 53 |
| Travel time to work | 95th | 145 |
Buckhannon's figures with every place in West Virginia (CSV)
Every place in West Virginia, sortable · Compare Buckhannon 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 Buckhannon?
14 of the 57 figures for Buckhannon 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 Buckhannon 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 Buckhannon.