McDowell County , West Virginia
Population: 18,413 residents · 2023 Census ACS
Income $29,980 Home $49,200 Rent $686/mo
Page updated: · Data vintage: CDC PLACES 2023 · FEMA NRI v1.20
Poverty has structural roots in McDowell County: 31% of residents live below the federal poverty line, and median household income — $29,980 — runs roughly 60% below the national figure. Housing values ($49,000 typical) reflect the same income constraint. FEMA's National Risk Index ranks McDowell County in the top 23% nationally for overall natural-hazard exposure, with wildfire potential the dominant local risk.
$29,980
Median Income
household
$49,200
Home Value
median
$686/mo
Monthly Rent
median gross
N/A
Unemployment
rate
Income & Housing
| Median Household Income | $29,980 |
| Per Capita Income | $16,599 |
| Poverty Rate | 30.9% |
| Median Home Value | $49,200 |
| Median Gross Rent | $686/mo |
| Owner Occupied | 75.7% |
| Renter Occupied | 24.3% |
Demographics & Education
| Total Population | 18,413 |
| Median Age | 43.6 yrs |
| Bachelor's or Higher | 5.7% |
Health Outcomes
CDC PLACES 2023 · % of adults
46.2%
Obesity
21.6%
Diabetes
29.3%
Smoking
51.0%
High Blood Pressure
42.6%
No Physical Activity
31.1%
Depression
47.5%
Insufficient Sleep
76.9%
Annual Checkup
Natural Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index · county-level scores
Overall risk score: 76.7 · 77th national percentile
🌪️ Tornado
11.07
🌀 Hurricane
55.19
🔥 Wildfire
69.31
❄️ Winter Storm
27.43
🌍 Earthquake
58.62
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