Census tract · Preston County
Census Tract 9642, Preston County, West Virginia
Census Tract 9642, GEOID 54077964200, in Preston County, West Virginia, partly within Terra Alta, Rowlesburg and Aurora. 3,520 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±455); the 2020 Census counted 3,716.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,520
±455 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,716
Median household income
$54,647
±$7,337 (90% margin)
Preston County: $61,880
Median home value
$120,000
±$28,798 (90% margin)
Preston County: $162,800
Median gross rent
$932
±$448 (90% margin)
Preston County: $750
Where is Census Tract 9642?
Census Tract 9642 is one of 11 census tracts in Preston County, West Virginia. It covers 148.53 square miles of land, 25 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 54077964200, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Terra Alta | 11% |
| Rowlesburg | 5% |
| Aurora | 4% |
7 census tracts border Census Tract 9642: Tract 9694 in Grant County ($69,750), Tract 9641.02 ($46,667), Tract 9641.03 ($73,125), Tract 9643 ($68,641), Tract 9644 ($51,444), Tract 9645 ($44,549) and Tract 9652 in Tucker County ($53,807). 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 9642?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9642's population at 3,520 (±455) in 1,475 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,716 residents and 1,880 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9642 | Preston County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,520 ±455 | 34,160 |
| Households | 1,475 ±210 | 12,809 |
| Average household size | 2.38 ±0.19 | 2.37 |
| Housing units | 1,824 ±193 | 15,183 |
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 9642?
The median resident of Census Tract 9642 is 40.1 years old; 20.7% are under 18 and 20.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.6%.
| Measure | Tract 9642 | Preston County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 ±7.3 | 43.3 |
| Under 18 years | 20.7% ±3.4 pts | 17.9% |
| 65 years and over | 20.8% ±4.2 pts | 20.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±1.4 pts | 1.9% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.1% ±3.2 pts | 87.3% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 6.5% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±2.7 pts | 3.5% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.2% |
| Born outside the United States | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 1.6% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.1% ±1.6 pts | 2.0% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.9% ±2.8 pts | 6.8% |
| With a disability | 18.8% ±4.2 pts | 18.2% |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.0% ±5.4 pts | 7.9% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.5% ±3.4 pts | 86.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.9% ±4.4 pts | 17.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.1% ±3.6 pts | 6.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 97.4% ±1.8 pts | 90.0% |
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 9642 earn?
Half of the 1,475 households in Census Tract 9642 earn less than $54,647 a year (±$7,337), against $61,880 across Preston County: 8th highest of the county's 11 tracts with a reliable estimate. 15.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9642 | Preston County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,647 ±$7,337 | $61,880 |
| Mean household income | $65,180 ±$6,395 | $75,856 |
| Per capita income | $27,647 ±$2,537 | $29,033 |
| People below the poverty line | 15.2% ±4.9 pts | 13.8% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.4% ±8.7 pts | 19.1% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.5% ±4.6 pts | 17.2% |
| Households with a computer | 87.4% ±3.9 pts | 91.1% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 82.0% ±5.0 pts | 86.4% |
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 9642?
Owners occupy 72.2% of Census Tract 9642's occupied homes and renters 27.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $120,000 by its owner (±$28,798). The median renter pays $932 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 9642 | Preston County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $120,000 ±$28,798 | $162,800 |
| Median gross rent | $932 ±$448 | $750 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.8% ±27.4 pts | 32.5% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,168 ±$127 | $1,267 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.2% ±9.1 pts | 81.5% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.8% ±9.1 pts | 18.5% |
| Housing units | 1,824 ±193 | 15,183 |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.2% ±5.4 pts | 75.8% |
| Mobile homes | 17.3% ±4.6 pts | 16.5% |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.1% ±1.5 pts | 1.3% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.1% ±4.6 pts | 9.2% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 23.0% ±5.6 pts | 15.1% |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.0% ±6.3 pts | 5.7% |
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 9642 get to work?
73.8% of Census Tract 9642's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 30.4 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9642 | Preston County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.5% ±6.1 pts | 49.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.0% ±1.1 pts | 5.3% |
| Drove alone to work | 73.8% ±9.2 pts | 76.1% |
| Carpooled | 18.5% ±8.8 pts | 12.8% |
| Public transportation | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 0.1% |
| Walked | 1.5% ±1.4 pts | 1.8% |
| Worked from home | 4.3% ±3.0 pts | 8.6% |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.4 min ±3.5 | 31.1 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 9642 compare with the other tracts in Preston County?
Among Preston County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9642 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Preston County |
|---|---|
| Population | 5th of 11 |
| Residents per square mile | 11th of 11 |
| Median household income | 8th of 11 |
| Per capita income | 8th of 11 |
| Median home value | 8th of 11 |
| Median gross rent | 2nd of 9 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd of 8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8th of 11 |
| Median age | 9th of 11 |
| Owner-occupied share | 10th of 11 |
The tracts next to it on Preston County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9640 | 5th | $67,292±$16,483 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9638.01 | 6th | $66,599±$11,026 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9639 | 7th | $59,464±$9,455 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9642 | 8th | $54,647±$7,337 |
| Tract 9644 | 9th | $51,444±$8,154 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9641.02 | 10th | $46,667±$13,820 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9645 | 11th | $44,549±$12,457 · 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 9642?
4 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9642 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