Census-designated place · West Virginia

Pinch, West Virginia

Pinch, census-designated place, in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Pinch had 2,914 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,037 (±1,032). GEOID 5463772.

Residents, 2020 Census

2,914

Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 4,037 ±1,032

Median household income

$76,741

±$24,462 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $59,608

Median home value

$221,500

±$16,359 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $162,600

Median gross rent

$916

±$219 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $872

Where is Pinch and what county is it in?

Pinch is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Kanawha County, West Virginia. It covers 3.5 square miles of land, 822 residents per square mile in 2020.

Pinch is in the Charleston, WV metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Pinch (marked with a dot) in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Pinch, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 2,914 residents in Pinch, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 4,037 (±1,032).

The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Pinch is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.

ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure PinchKanawha CountyWest Virginia Change since 2015-2019
Total population 4,037 ±1,032 176,537 1,778,373 +1,291
Households 1,479 ±268 76,459 728,655 no clear change
Average household size 2.73 ±0.49 2.27 2.37 no clear change
Housing units 1,479 ±268 90,408 861,325 no clear change

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 Pinch?

The median resident of Pinch is 50.3 years old; 27.7% are under 18 and 27.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.8%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure PinchKanawha CountyWest Virginia Change since 2015-2019
Median age 50.3 ±8.7 43.8 42.7 no clear change
Under 18 years 27.7% ±10.0 pts 19.8% 20.0% –
65 years and over 27.8% ±7.2 pts 22.1% 21.0% –
Male 43.5% ±5.2 pts 48.6% 49.9% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% ±0.9 pts 1.6% 2.1% –
White alone, not Hispanic 94.2% ±2.6 pts 85.9% 89.7% −5.8 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.9 pts 4.8% 3.1% –
Asian alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.9 pts 1.1% 0.8% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.9 pts 0.1% 0.1% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.9 pts 0.1% 0.0% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 5.8% ±2.6 pts 6.1% 3.9% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.9 pts 0.3% 0.3% –
Born outside the United States 1.7% ±2.3 pts 2.0% 1.8% –
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 3.7% ±4.8 pts 2.3% 2.5% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 7.5% ±4.0 pts 6.8% 7.4% –
With a disability 22.7% ±8.3 pts 19.6% 19.1% –
No health insurance coverage 7.4% ±5.7 pts 4.9% 6.0% –
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 97.0% ±2.8 pts 91.4% 89.3% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 35.5% ±8.5 pts 29.7% 24.1% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 9.6% ±6.1 pts 12.1% 9.7% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 99.1% ±1.1 pts 91.3% 89.7% –
Moved from another state in the past year 0.0% ±0.9 pts 1.6% 2.4% –

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 Pinch earn?

Half of Pinch's 1,479 households earn less than $76,741 a year (±$24,462), against $60,943 in Kanawha County and $59,608 in West Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $92,211 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.1% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure PinchKanawha CountyWest Virginia Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $76,741 ±$24,462 $60,943 $59,608 no clear change
Mean household income $99,250 ±$19,591 $84,041 $81,190 –
Per capita income $36,651 ±$6,402 $37,354 $34,203 −$10,572
People below the poverty line 5.1% ±3.0 pts 15.7% 16.7% –
Children under 18 below the poverty line 0.0% ±3.3 pts 20.6% 21.5% –
Households receiving SNAP 12.5% ±7.6 pts 15.8% 17.3% –
Households with a computer 94.3% ±5.6 pts 92.9% 91.2% –
Households with a broadband subscription 94.0% ±5.6 pts 88.2% 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 Pinch?

Owners occupy 70.4% of Pinch's occupied homes and renters 29.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $221,500 by its owner (±$16,359). The median renter pays $916 a month including utilities.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure PinchKanawha CountyWest Virginia Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $221,500 ±$16,359 $147,300 $162,600 no clear change
Median gross rent $916 ±$219 $906 $872 no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 42.2% ±28.0 pts 37.1% 39.0% –
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $1,649 ±$251 $1,216 $1,255 –
Owner-occupied homes 70.4% ±13.4 pts 71.1% 74.9% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 29.6% ±13.4 pts 28.9% 25.1% –
Housing units 1,479 ±268 90,408 861,325 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.0% ±3.5 pts 1.7% 1.2% –
Rental vacancy rate 0.0% ±8.2 pts 9.1% 6.7% –
Single-family detached homes 70.6% ±11.1 pts 70.1% 70.9% –
Mobile homes 7.5% ±7.3 pts 9.5% 13.6% –
Built 2020 or later 0.0% ±2.5 pts 0.7% 1.0% –
Built 2010 to 2019 6.2% ±5.2 pts 3.9% 7.0% –
Built 1939 or earlier 1.0% ±1.6 pts 13.9% 14.9% –
Households with no vehicle 3.7% ±3.1 pts 9.5% 8.0% –

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 do people in Pinch work and get to work?

69.9% of Pinch's workers drive alone and 18.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.2 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure PinchKanawha CountyWest Virginia Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 44.8% ±11.9 pts 55.8% 53.8% –
Unemployment rate 0.0% ±2.7 pts 5.6% 5.4% –
Drove alone to work 69.9% ±14.4 pts 77.3% 78.1% –
Carpooled 11.4% ±9.2 pts 7.7% 8.5% –
Public transportation 0.0% ±2.7 pts 1.2% 0.5% –
Walked 0.0% ±2.7 pts 2.9% 2.5% –
Worked from home 18.7% ±8.6 pts 9.6% 9.1% –
Mean travel time to work 24.2 min ±3.2 21.8 min 26.6 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 Pinch?

No census tract lies mostly in Pinch; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Pinch, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Pinch
Tract 113.02Kanawha County6,212 $76,563 $200,60043%

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 Pinch) · Census block assignment files

How does Pinch compare with other places in West Virginia?

Pinch ranks 22nd of 138 places in West Virginia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Pinch's rank in West Virginia (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population (ACS 2020-2024)35th146
Residents per square mile102nd146
Median household income22nd138
Per capita income38th144
Median home value23rd142
Median gross rent39th123
Poverty rate108th111
Bachelor's degree or higher22nd135
Median age18th146
Owner-occupied share74th146
Work from home4th53
Travel time to work51st145

Pinch's figures with every place in West Virginia (CSV)

Every place in West Virginia, sortable · Compare Pinch 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 Pinch?

23 of the 57 figures for Pinch 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 Pinch 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' school search.