City profile · West Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Buckhannon, WV

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

5,144
Residents
$48,720
Median income
$152,000
Median home
$961
Median rent (state)

Buckhannon - the verdict

Buckhannon ranks in the 17th percentile for household income and the 44th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

17th
percentile, household income
27th
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
44th
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: Buckhannon, WV

West Virginia's Buckhannon is a small town, with 5,144 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Buckhannon households earn a median of $48,720 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.5%. Buckhannon's housing stock carries a median value of $152,000, and the median resident age is 32.6 years. Educational attainment runs 21.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 43.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 3 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Low Activity). Buckhannon reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1555.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 52.6°F with 49.2 inches of precipitation per year and 39.4 inches of snowfall.

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 $961 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in West Virginia run around $220, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Buckhannon report an average commute of 15.5 minutes, with 61.9% driving alone and 15.2% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 44.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

5,144 residents

Census ACS 2023 - West Virginia

Median Household Income

$48,720 /yr

Poverty 19.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.5 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, West Virginia average

How does Buckhannon compare to other US cities?

Buckhannon measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 27% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities
Safety 44% 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, Buckhannon ranks #21 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Buckhannon's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in West Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

17thIncome percentile
44thSafety percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income · 44th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Buckhannon's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Buckhannon'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 47 Avg. percentile National median
Buckhannon'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 Buckhannon's home value compares nationally

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

$152,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 73% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $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. Buckhannon $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 - Buckhannon, WV Buckhannon, WV's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Buckhannon, 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 Buckhannon, WV median $48,720/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%
Buckhannon, 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 Buckhannon, WV. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 43.1%

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

Population
5,144
Median Income
$48,720
Median Home Value
$152,000
Median Age
32.6
Poverty Rate
19.5%
Labor force participation
43.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1555.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
319.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1236.5
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
52.6°F
Annual Precipitation
49.2"
Annual Snowfall
39.4"

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,000 residents5,050 residents5,100 residents5,150 residents5,200 residents5,250 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,189 residents 5,054 residents ▼ -2.6%
Buckhannon's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 3
2021 2
2022 3
2023 2
2024 3

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.5 minutes
Drive Alone
61.9%
Carpool
4.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
13.4%
Work from Home
15.2%
Other
5.1%

Based on 1,811 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 Buckhannon sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.5
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$961/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
44.8 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in West Virginia

New Martinsville
5,175 people
Keyser
4,870 people
Ranson corporation
5,588 people
Grafton
4,671 people
Princeton
5,780 people
Barboursville
4,394 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Buckhannon's 5,144 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Manchester, IA
5,144 people
Coal City, IL
5,145 people
Alexandria, IN
5,145 people
Falcon Heights, MN
5,145 people
Mechanicville, NY
5,143 people
Rockmart, GA
5,142 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Buckhannon's $48,720 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Montpelier, OH
$48,720 median income
Walton, NE
$48,725 median income
Norge, OK
$48,712 median income
Arcata, CA
$48,731 median income
Russellville, AR
$48,708 median income
August, CA
$48,708 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Buckhannon, 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 Buckhannon, WV - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.3% 6.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.9% White 87.3% Black or African American 6.6% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.1% Two or more races 4.4% 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 Buckhannon 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
Buckhannon (this city) 5,144 $48,720
New Martinsville 5,175 $51,226
Keyser 4,870 $47,991
Ranson corporation 5,588 $86,378
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WV FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Buckhannon, WV?

What is the population of Buckhannon, WV? +

The population of Buckhannon, WV stands at 5,144 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Buckhannon, the typical household earns $48,720 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Buckhannon? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Buckhannon; 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 Buckhannon, WV safe? +

Buckhannon has a total crime rate of 1555.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Buckhannon, WV? +

Homes in Buckhannon carry a median value of $152,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Buckhannon? +

Buckhannon has an average annual temperature of 52.6°F, 49.2 inches of precipitation, and 39.4 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.