City profile · West Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Sophia, WV

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

1,654
Residents
$34,498
Median income
$112,900
Median home
$944
Median rent (state)

Sophia - the verdict

Nationally, Sophia sits in the 4th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

4th
percentile, household income
14th
percentile, home value
10th
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: Sophia, WV

1,654 people live in Sophia, West Virginia - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Sophia households earn a median of $34,498 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.2%. Home values in Sophia run a median of $112,900, and the median resident age is 45.6 years. About 8.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 37.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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

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 $944 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $220 across West Virginia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 65.5 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

1,654 residents

Census ACS 2023 - West Virginia

Median Household Income

$34,498 /yr

Poverty 20.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.5 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, West Virginia average

How does Sophia compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 4% higher than other cities
Home value 14% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% 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

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 Sophia'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.

4thIncome percentile

4th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Sophia's home value compares nationally

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

$112,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 86% 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. Sophia $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 - Sophia, WV Sophia, WV's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sophia, 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 Sophia, WV median $34,498/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%
Sophia, 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 Sophia, WV. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 8.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 37.6%

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

Population
1,654
Median Income
$34,498
Median Home Value
$112,900
Median Age
45.6
Poverty Rate
20.2%
Labor force participation
37.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
8.2%

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 →
1,060 residents1,080 residents1,100 residents1,120 residents1,140 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,134 residents 1,076 residents ▼ -5.1%
Sophia'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
86.7%
Carpool
5.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
6.4%
Other
1.5%

Based on 519 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 Sophia sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.5
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$944/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
65.5 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in West Virginia

Eleanor
1,655 people
Montgomery
1,635 people
Mannington
1,679 people
Chesapeake
1,615 people
Romney
1,714 people
Craigsville
1,584 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sophia's 1,654 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fairfax, CA
1,654 people
Seeley, CA
1,654 people
Moundridge, KS
1,654 people
Tawas City, MI
1,654 people
Cedar Glen West, NJ
1,654 people
Hartshorne, OK
1,654 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sophia's $34,498 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sulphur Springs, AR
$34,500 median income
Severy, KS
$34,500 median income
Osage, OK
$34,500 median income
Erin, TN
$34,500 median income
Finley Point, MT
$34,519 median income
Catlettsburg, KY
$34,524 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sophia, 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 Sophia, WV - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 95.5% Black or African American 4.2% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.0% 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 Sophia 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
Sophia (this city) 1,654 $34,498
Eleanor 1,655 $74,211
Montgomery 1,635 $26,797
Mannington 1,679 $48,750
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WV NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sophia, WV?

What is the population of Sophia, WV? +

Sophia, WV has a population of 1,654 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Sophia, the typical household earns $34,498 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sophia? +

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

Sophia's median home value sits at $112,900, 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 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.