Census tract · Mercer County
Census Tract 20, Mercer County, West Virginia
Census Tract 20, GEOID 54055002000, in Mercer County, West Virginia, mostly within Bluefield (89% of its census blocks). 2,242 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±327); the 2020 Census counted 2,419.
Residents, 2020-2024
2,242
±327 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 2,419
Median household income
$43,609
±$16,182 (90% margin)
Mercer County: $53,210
Median home value
$81,100
±$29,586 (90% margin)
Mercer County: $121,700
Median gross rent
$723
±$235 (90% margin)
Mercer County: $810
Where is Census Tract 20?
Census Tract 20 is one of 16 census tracts in Mercer County, West Virginia. It covers 3.50 square miles of land, 692 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 54055002000, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Bluefield | 89% |
| Brush Fork | 5% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 20: Tract 17 ($47,361), Tract 19 ($36,875), Tract 21 ($52,237) and Tract 22 ($55,788). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 20?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 20's population at 2,242 (±327) in 821 households; the 2020 Census counted 2,419 residents and 1,242 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 20 | Bluefield |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,242 ±327 | 9,387 |
| Households | 821 ±144 | 4,027 |
| Average household size | 2.61 ±0.45 | 2.27 |
| Housing units | 1,208 ±158 | 4,941 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 20?
The median resident of Census Tract 20 is 44.5 years old; 17.6% are under 18 and 29.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.5%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 16.9%.
| Measure | Tract 20 | Bluefield |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.5 ±10.6 | 45.0 |
| Under 18 years | 17.6% ±8.3 pts | 20.3% |
| 65 years and over | 29.0% ±8.4 pts | 22.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 3.1% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.5% ±5.9 pts | 75.8% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 16.9% ±5.3 pts | 13.4% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±3.2 pts | 6.6% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.5% |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 1.4% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.8% ±1.4 pts | 4.3% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.5% ±4.1 pts | 3.5% |
| With a disability | 33.8% ±7.5 pts | 21.5% |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.0% ±6.8 pts | 8.6% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 76.6% ±9.0 pts | 90.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.0% ±4.7 pts | 30.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.9% ±4.1 pts | 10.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 97.0% ±2.4 pts | 88.8% |
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 Census Tract 20 earn?
Half of the 821 households in Census Tract 20 earn less than $43,609 a year (±$16,182), against $53,210 across Mercer County: 13th highest of the county's 16 tracts with a reliable estimate. 20.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 20 | Bluefield |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,609 ±$16,182 | $49,375 |
| Mean household income | $57,785 ±$11,971 | $69,299 |
| Per capita income | $21,519 ±$2,965 | $30,230 |
| People below the poverty line | 20.9% ±9.5 pts | 18.5% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.4% ±23.0 pts | 23.8% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 39.7% ±14.1 pts | 27.1% |
| Households with a computer | 85.1% ±10.2 pts | 93.1% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 72.0% ±12.0 pts | 88.6% |
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 Census Tract 20?
Owners occupy 65.7% of Census Tract 20's occupied homes and renters 34.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $81,100 by its owner (±$29,586). The median renter pays $723 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 20 | Bluefield |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $81,100 ±$29,586 | $105,400 |
| Median gross rent | $723 ±$235 | $804 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 12.8% ±19.5 pts | 25.0% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,309 ±$81 | $1,167 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.7% ±13.1 pts | 65.1% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.3% ±13.1 pts | 34.9% |
| Housing units | 1,208 ±158 | 4,941 |
| Single-family detached homes | 71.0% ±9.5 pts | 77.4% |
| Mobile homes | 9.5% ±7.2 pts | 3.2% |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±2.0 pts | 0.3% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.9% ±1.4 pts | 1.4% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 35.2% ±10.7 pts | 30.4% |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.3% ±8.1 pts | 11.3% |
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 Census Tract 20 get to work?
73.5% of Census Tract 20's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 26.3 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 20 | Bluefield |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 38.3% ±9.1 pts | 54.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% ±7.2 pts | 4.4% |
| Drove alone to work | 73.5% ±16.2 pts | 74.7% |
| Carpooled | 14.7% ±13.8 pts | 10.2% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 1.0% |
| Walked | 2.8% ±3.0 pts | 1.1% |
| Worked from home | 8.9% ±7.8 pts | 10.5% |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.3 min ±12.2 | 23.7 min |
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
How does Census Tract 20 compare with the other tracts in Mercer County?
Among Mercer County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 20 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Mercer County | In Bluefield |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14th of 16 | 3rd of 4 |
| Residents per square mile | 6th of 16 | 3rd of 4 |
| Median household income | 13th of 16 | 3rd of 4 |
| Per capita income | 16th of 16 | 4th of 4 |
| Median home value | 14th of 16 | 3rd of 4 |
| Median gross rent | 10th of 13 | 3rd of 4 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd of 14 | 2nd of 4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15th of 16 | 4th of 4 |
| Median age | 7th of 16 | 3rd of 4 |
| Owner-occupied share | 13th of 16 | 3rd of 4 |
The tracts next to it on Mercer County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 21 | 10th | $52,237±$16,058 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 17 | 11th | $47,361±$10,734 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 15 | 12th | $46,463±$12,321 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 20 | 13th | $43,609±$16,182 |
| Tract 13 | 14th | $42,833±$11,461 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 10 | 15th | $41,886±$13,128 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 19 | 16th | $36,875±$6,367 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 20?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 20 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections