City profile · West Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Williamstown, WV

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

2,977
Residents
$75,577
Median income
$164,100
Median home
$928
Median rent (state)

Williamstown - the verdict

Nationally, Williamstown sits in the 57th percentile for household income and the 96th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

57th
percentile, household income
32nd
percentile, home value
8th
percentile, median rent
96th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Williamstown, WV

Williamstown is a small town in West Virginia, home to 2,977 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $75,577 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.2%. Home values in Williamstown run a median of $164,100, and the median resident age is 52.1 years. About 44.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. Williamstown reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 169.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in West Virginia run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts West Virginia at 89.5 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $928 monthly. 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 79.8 out of 100 (High).

Population

2,977 residents

Census ACS 2023 - West Virginia

Median Household Income

$75,577 /yr

Poverty 2.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.5 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, West Virginia average

How does Williamstown compare to other US cities?

Williamstown measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 57% higher than other cities
Home value 32% pricier than other cities
Median rent 8% pricier than other cities
Safety 96% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just West Virginia and the picture shifts: Williamstown ranks #2 of 45 West Virginia cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Williamstown 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

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Williamstown's strongest outlier among West Virginia cities

Among the 390 West Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Williamstown ranks #23 - the 94th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Williamstown only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#50 of 330
85th percentile in West Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#194 of 390
46th percentile in West Virginia
Median Home Value
#75 of 337
78th percentile in West Virginia
Poverty Rate
#297 of 389
23rd percentile in West Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#23 of 390
94th 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.

57thIncome percentile
96thSafety percentile

57th percentile nationally for median household income · 96th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Williamstown's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Williamstown's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 78 Avg. percentile National median
Williamstown's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Williamstown's home value compares nationally

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

$164,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 68% 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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Williamstown $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 - Williamstown, WV Williamstown, WV's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Williamstown, 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 Williamstown, WV median $75,577/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%
Williamstown, 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 Williamstown, WV. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.9%

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

Population
2,977
Median Income
$75,577
Median Home Value
$164,100
Median Age
52.1
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Labor force participation
56.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
169.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
0.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
169.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,900 residents2,920 residents2,940 residents2,960 residents2,980 residents3,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,988 residents 2,922 residents ▼ -2.2%
Williamstown'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 12
2020 5
2021 5
2022 3
2023 6
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
85.8%
Carpool
2.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
9.5%

Based on 1,384 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 Williamstown sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.5
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$928/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
79.8 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in West Virginia

Kenova
2,977 people
Williamson
2,979 people
Kingwood
2,980 people
Moorefield
2,952 people
Philippi
2,919 people
Ripley
3,066 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Williamstown's 2,977 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Clever, MO
2,977 people
Sandwich, MA
2,976 people
Ava, MO
2,978 people
Valhalla, NY
2,978 people
Summerset, SD
2,978 people
Eglin AFB, FL
2,975 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Williamstown's $75,577 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Aurora Springs, MO
$75,573 median income
Groton, VT
$75,583 median income
Barnes Lake, MI
$75,585 median income
Prices Fork, VA
$75,568 median income
Cordova, IL
$75,588 median income
Texline, TX
$75,588 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Williamstown, 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 Williamstown, WV - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 97.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.9% White 97.8% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 1.2% 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 Williamstown 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
Williamstown (this city) 2,977 $75,577
Kenova 2,977 $53,438
Williamson 2,979 $24,119
Kingwood 2,980 $67,411
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WV FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Williamstown, WV?

What is the population of Williamstown, WV? +

Williamstown, WV counts 2,977 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Williamstown runs $75,577, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Williamstown? +

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

Is Williamstown, WV safe? +

Williamstown has a total crime rate of 169.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

A typical home in Williamstown is worth $164,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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