City · West Virginia
Petersburg, West Virginia
Petersburg, city, in Grant County, West Virginia. Petersburg had 2,282 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,284 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,384 (±444). GEOID 5462956.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,282
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,284 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,384 ±444
Median household income
$42,917
±$8,833 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $59,608
Median home value
$124,500
±$38,549 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $162,600
Median gross rent
$646
±$147 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $872
Where is Petersburg and what county is it in?
Petersburg is a city in Grant County, West Virginia. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 1,413 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 Petersburg, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,282 people lived in Petersburg on July 1, 2025, down 0.1% since 2020, a smaller fall than West Virginia's (−1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 2,284 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,384 (±444).
| Measure | Petersburg | Grant County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,384 ±444 | 10,983 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,015 ±197 | 4,393 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.21 ±0.25 | 2.47 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,154 ±202 | 5,670 | −269 |
Petersburg's population since 2000
From 2,423 in 2000 to 2,282 in 2025: down 5.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Petersburg 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 Petersburg?
The median resident of Petersburg is 44.0 years old; 22.2% are under 18 and 26.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.1%.
| Measure | Petersburg | Grant County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 ±9.1 | 46.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.2% ±4.2 pts | 19.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.7% ±6.2 pts | 25.2% | – |
| Male | 49.1% ±4.6 pts | 51.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.1% ±2.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.8% ±4.1 pts | 95.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±0.6 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±2.8 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.3% ±1.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.1% ±3.4 pts | 8.3% | – |
| With a disability | 19.8% ±6.0 pts | 16.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.6% ±3.6 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.8% ±5.2 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.4% ±5.3 pts | 14.0% | −7.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.4% ±2.4 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.4% ±7.3 pts | 95.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
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 Petersburg earn?
Half of Petersburg's 1,015 households earn less than $42,917 a year (±$8,833), against $62,361 in Grant County and $59,608 in West Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $44,531 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 19.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Petersburg | Grant County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,917 ±$8,833 | $62,361 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $59,717 ±$10,526 | $73,987 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,416 ±$4,569 | $30,795 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 19.5% ±4.9 pts | 13.3% | +8.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.4% ±10.0 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.6% ±7.3 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 86.1% ±5.6 pts | 85.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.7% ±5.1 pts | 83.7% | – |
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 Petersburg?
Owners occupy 60.0% of Petersburg's occupied homes and renters 40.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $124,500 by its owner (±$38,549). The median renter pays $646 a month including utilities, and 46.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Petersburg | Grant County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $124,500 ±$38,549 | $175,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $646 ±$147 | $644 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 46.2% ±14.3 pts | 43.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $982 ±$212 | $965 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 60.0% ±8.3 pts | 81.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 40.0% ±8.3 pts | 18.9% | – |
| Housing units | 1,154 ±202 | 5,670 | −269 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.8% ±3.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.8 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 64.1% ±7.3 pts | 76.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.4% ±5.5 pts | 15.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.5% ±1.5 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 12.2% ±4.9 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 19.0% ±7.0 pts | 8.9% | – |
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 Petersburg building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Petersburg in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.4 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 Petersburg work and get to work?
86.3% of Petersburg's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 14.6 minutes.
| Measure | Petersburg | Grant County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 51.0% ±8.5 pts | 55.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% ±2.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 86.3% ±7.3 pts | 80.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.6% ±4.9 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 3.5% ±2.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.6% ±5.1 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.6 min ±2.7 | 25.1 min | no clear change |
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 Petersburg?
No census tract lies mostly in Petersburg; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9696Grant County | 4,321 | $51,288 |
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 Petersburg) · Census block assignment files
How does Petersburg compare with other places in West Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Petersburg is the 7,207th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 52nd-most populous of 230 in West Virginia.
Petersburg ranks 109th 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 | 52nd | 230 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 13th | 102 |
| Residents per square mile | 54th | 146 |
| Median household income | 109th | 138 |
| Per capita income | 103rd | 144 |
| Median home value | 84th | 142 |
| Median gross rent | 107th | 123 |
| Poverty rate | 63rd | 111 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 115th | 135 |
| Median age | 60th | 146 |
| Owner-occupied share | 113th | 146 |
| Travel time to work | 139th | 145 |
Petersburg's figures with every place in West Virginia (CSV)
Every place in West Virginia, sortable · Compare Petersburg 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 Petersburg?
19 of the 57 figures for Petersburg 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 Petersburg 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 Petersburg.