City · West Virginia
Keyser, West Virginia
Keyser, city, in Mineral County, West Virginia. Keyser had 4,777 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,864 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,857 (±31). GEOID 5443492.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,777
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,864 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,857 ±31
Median household income
$46,955
±$10,365 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $59,608
Median home value
$143,000
±$11,667 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $162,600
Median gross rent
$648
±$392 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $872
Where is Keyser and what county is it in?
Keyser is a city in Mineral County, West Virginia. It covers 2.0 square miles of land, 2,464 residents per square mile in 2020.
Keyser is in the Cumberland, MD-WV micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Keyser, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,777 people lived in Keyser on July 1, 2025, down 1.9% since 2020, in line with West Virginia (−1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 4,864 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,857 (±31).
| Measure | Keyser | Mineral County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,857 ±31 | 26,854 | −193 |
| Households | 2,069 ±249 | 11,120 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.15 ±0.26 | 2.36 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,540 ±260 | 12,509 | no clear change |
Keyser's population since 2000
From 5,303 in 2000 to 4,777 in 2025: down 9.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Keyser 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 Keyser?
The median resident of Keyser is 38.3 years old; 17.7% are under 18 and 22.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.1%.
| Measure | Keyser | Mineral County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 ±6.4 | 44.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.7% ±5.0 pts | 20.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.7% ±5.0 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Male | 47.4% ±4.6 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 1.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.1% ±3.2 pts | 92.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±2.1 pts | 1.3% | −7.9 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.1% ±2.3 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.3% ±1.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.1% ±2.6 pts | 7.7% | – |
| With a disability | 18.4% ±5.1 pts | 15.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.4% ±3.2 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.0% ±5.8 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.0% ±8.2 pts | 23.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.8% ±5.8 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.9% ±5.6 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.6% ±3.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
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 Keyser earn?
Half of Keyser's 2,069 households earn less than $46,955 a year (±$10,365), against $69,375 in Mineral County and $59,608 in West Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $44,856 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 31.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Keyser | Mineral County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,955 ±$10,365 | $69,375 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $71,649 ±$18,811 | $91,483 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,062 ±$8,884 | $38,731 | +$9,809 |
| People below the poverty line | 31.8% ±9.7 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 56.6% ±25.0 pts | 18.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 30.3% ±9.4 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.3% ±3.9 pts | 93.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.9% ±6.2 pts | 89.1% | – |
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 Keyser?
Owners occupy 51.4% of Keyser's occupied homes and renters 48.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $143,000 by its owner (±$11,667). The median renter pays $648 a month including utilities, and 37.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Keyser | Mineral County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $143,000 ±$11,667 | $180,400 | +$20,792 |
| Median gross rent | $648 ±$392 | $809 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.5% ±16.9 pts | 38.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,171 ±$100 | $1,240 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 51.4% ±9.6 pts | 81.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 48.6% ±9.6 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Housing units | 2,540 ±260 | 12,509 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.4% ±6.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.3% ±9.1 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 57.6% ±10.0 pts | 75.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.3% ±3.4 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.0% ±3.2 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 33.6% ±9.2 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 21.8% ±8.2 pts | 8.7% | – |
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 Keyser building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Keyser 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 Keyser work and get to work?
67.5% of Keyser's workers drive alone and 11.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 17.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 12.9%.
| Measure | Keyser | Mineral County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 45.9% ±6.8 pts | 54.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 12.9% ±6.8 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 67.5% ±9.9 pts | 78.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.7% ±5.5 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.5% ±2.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 3.2% ±3.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.4% ±5.8 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.1 min ±3.4 | 27.3 min | −7.8 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 Keyser?
1 census tract lies mostly in Keyser, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
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 Keyser) · Census block assignment files
How does Keyser compare with other places in West Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Keyser is the 5,030th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 27th-most populous of 230 in West Virginia.
Keyser ranks 95th 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 | 27th | 230 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 24th | 102 |
| Residents per square mile | 18th | 146 |
| Median household income | 95th | 138 |
| Per capita income | 74th | 144 |
| Median home value | 66th | 142 |
| Median gross rent | 105th | 123 |
| Poverty rate | 14th | 111 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 90th | 135 |
| Median age | 113th | 146 |
| Owner-occupied share | 133rd | 146 |
| Work from home | 27th | 53 |
| Travel time to work | 128th | 145 |
Keyser's figures with every place in West Virginia (CSV)
Every place in West Virginia, sortable · Compare Keyser 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 Keyser?
16 of the 57 figures for Keyser 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 Keyser 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 Keyser.