City profile · West Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Huntington, WV

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

46,189
Residents
$43,146
Median income
$118,800
Median home
$973
Median rent (state)

Huntington - the verdict

Huntington ranks in the 11th percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

11th
percentile, household income
17th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
6th
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: Huntington, WV

Huntington is a small city in West Virginia, home to 46,189 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Huntington brings in $43,146 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 17.4%. Typical homes in Huntington are valued around $118,800, and the median resident age is 34.9 years. Educational attainment runs 34.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 52.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 6 residential building permits were authorized in Huntington (Construction Slowdown), down 88% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Huntington's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4402.6 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: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, West Virginia scores 89.5 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $973 per month. 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

46,189 residents

Census ACS 2023 - West Virginia

Median Household Income

$43,146 /yr

Poverty 17.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.5 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, West Virginia average

How does Huntington compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 11% higher than other cities
Home value 17% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% 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, Huntington ranks #42 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 Huntington'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.

11thIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

11th percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Huntington's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Huntington'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 34 Avg. percentile National median
Huntington'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 Huntington's home value compares nationally

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

$118,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 83% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Huntington $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 - Huntington, WV Huntington, WV's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Huntington, 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 Huntington, WV median $43,146/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%
Huntington, 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 Huntington, WV. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 17.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.2%

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

Population
46,189
Median Income
$43,146
Median Home Value
$118,800
Median Age
34.9
Poverty Rate
17.4%
Labor force participation
52.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4402.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
800.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3602.3
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
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
44,000 residents45,000 residents46,000 residents47,000 residents48,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 46,808 residents 44,815 residents ▼ -4.3%
Huntington's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 52
2020 7
2021 4
2022 13
2023 19
2024 6

Permit volume decreased 88% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.9%
Carpool
11.1%
Public Transit
1.6%
Walk
4.6%
Work from Home
8.2%
Other
2.6%

Based on 19,844 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 Huntington 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

Charleston
47,918 people
Morgantown
30,273 people
Parkersburg
29,461 people
Wheeling
26,670 people
Martinsburg
18,805 people
Weirton
18,785 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Huntington's 46,189 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Potomac, MD
46,230 people
Whitney, NV
46,268 people
Farmington, NM
46,339 people
Urbandale, IA
46,026 people
Strongsville, OH
46,022 people
Arlington, MA
46,015 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Huntington's $43,146 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Falkville, AL
$43,145 median income
Dixon, NM
$43,148 median income
Belmont, MS
$43,152 median income
Fowlerville, MI
$43,155 median income
Frisco, NC
$43,162 median income
Watertown, FL
$43,164 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Huntington, 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 Huntington, WV - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.0% 6.5% 6.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.0% White 85.0% Black or African American 6.5% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 6.3% 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 Huntington 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
Huntington (this city) 46,189 $43,146
Charleston 47,918 $64,512
Morgantown 30,273 $42,245
Parkersburg 29,461 $44,675
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WV FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Huntington, WV?

What is the population of Huntington, WV? +

Huntington, WV counts 46,189 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Huntington runs $43,146, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Huntington? +

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

Huntington has a total crime rate of 4402.6 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 Huntington, WV? +

A typical home in Huntington is worth $118,800, 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 Editorial

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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.