City profile · West Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Smithers, WV

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

891
Residents
$32,237
Median income
$72,800
Median home
$915
Median rent (state)

Smithers - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Smithers places in the 3rd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

3rd
percentile, household income
2nd
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Smithers, WV

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 891 residents in Smithers, a small town within West Virginia. The typical household in Smithers brings in $32,237 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 24.0%. Home values in Smithers run a median of $72,800, and the median resident age is 52.5 years. 23.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 33.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Smithers (No Permits), per Census BPS data.

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $915 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts West Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $220 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 53.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

891 residents

Census ACS 2023 - West Virginia

Median Household Income

$32,237 /yr

Poverty 24.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.5 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, West Virginia average

How does Smithers compare to other US cities?

Where Smithers sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 3% higher than other cities
Home value 2% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Smithers against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to West Virginia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

West Virginia-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Smithers toward the bottom of West Virginia's cities

Among the 337 West Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Smithers ranks #289 - the 14th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Smithers only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#284 of 330
14th percentile in West Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#216 of 390
40th percentile in West Virginia
Median Home Value
#289 of 337
14th percentile in West Virginia
Poverty Rate
#80 of 389
79th percentile in West Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#102 of 390
74th percentile in West Virginia

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within West Virginia only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

3rdIncome percentile

3rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Smithers's home value compares nationally

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

$72,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 98% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $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. Smithers $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 - Smithers, WV Smithers, WV's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Smithers, 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 Smithers, WV median $32,237/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%
Smithers, 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 Smithers, WV. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 24.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 33.1%

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

Population
891
Median Income
$32,237
Median Home Value
$72,800
Median Age
52.5
Poverty Rate
24.0%
Labor force participation
33.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.6%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
680 residents700 residents720 residents740 residents760 residents 202020212022202320242025 746 residents 694 residents ▼ -7.0%
Smithers's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

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

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
35.3%
Carpool
8.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
10.3%
Work from Home
45.6%

Based on 252 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 Smithers sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.5
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$915/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
53.4 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in West Virginia

Middlebourne
895 people
Triadelphia
885 people
Bath (Berkeley Springs)
899 people
Cassville
900 people
Piedmont
872 people
Addison (Webster Springs)
913 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Smithers's 891 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bowman, GA
891 people
Blue Mound, IL
891 people
St. Charles, IA
891 people
McLouth, KS
891 people
Scranton, KS
891 people
Carlton, MN
891 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Smithers's $32,237 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rumford, ME
$32,240 median income
Exeland, WI
$32,240 median income
Whites Landing, OH
$32,241 median income
Okemah, OK
$32,232 median income
McAlmont, AR
$32,231 median income
Osceola, MO
$32,245 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Smithers, 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 Smithers, WV - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.8% 13.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.8% White 80.8% Black or African American 5.7% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 13.5% 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 Smithers 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
Smithers (this city) 891 $32,237
Middlebourne 895 $62,083
Triadelphia 885 $55,208
Bath (Berkeley Springs) 899 $36,250
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WV NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Smithers, WV?

What is the population of Smithers, WV? +

Smithers, WV counts 891 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Smithers, the typical household earns $32,237 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Smithers? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Smithers; 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.

What is the median home value in Smithers, WV? +

Homes in Smithers carry a median value of $72,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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

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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.