Upshur County, West Virginia Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 25th-largest in West Virginia

The population of Upshur County, West Virginia is 23,758 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 25th-largest county in West Virginia. The median household income is $51,859, the median home value is $160,700, and the median age is 42.0.

The population of Upshur County has declined 2.4% since 2010 (24,242 → 23,650), a -0.18% annualized rate.

Upshur County within West Virginia · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

23,758

Population

-0.18%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$51,859

Median Income

$160,700

Median Home Value

Upshur County covers 355 sq mi of land at 67.0 people per square mile.

About Upshur County, WV

Upshur County is a county in West Virginia with a population of 23,758. It ranks #25 among counties in West Virginia by population. The median age is 42.0, older than the national median. The population is 50.1% male and 49.9% female.

The median household income in Upshur County is $51,859, below the US median of $74,580. 14.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $160,700, with monthly rent averaging $799. The homeownership rate of 79.7% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Upshur County reflects 17.4% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 9.7% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 26.9 minutes each way.

Upshur County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Upshur County had a population of 24,242 in 2010 and 23,650 in 2024, a -2.4% growth over 14 years. The peak was 24,756 in 2015. Average annual growth rate: -0.17%.

23,650

Population (2024)

24,242

Population (2010)

24,756

Peak (2015)

-0.17%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	24,242	-	-	estimate
2011	24,279	+37	+0.15%	estimate
2012	24,456	+177	+0.73%	estimate
2013	24,619	+163	+0.67%	estimate
2014	24,686	+67	+0.27%	estimate
2015	24,756	+70	+0.28%	estimate
2016	24,699	-57	-0.23%	estimate
2017	24,589	-110	-0.45%	estimate
2018	24,424	-165	-0.67%	estimate
2019	24,315	-109	-0.45%	estimate
2020	23,818	-497	-2.04%	estimate
2021	23,812	-6	-0.03%	estimate
2022	23,715	-97	-0.41%	estimate
2023	23,566	-149	-0.63%	estimate
2024	23,650	+84	+0.36%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	92.8%
Black or African American	1.4%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	0.9%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

42.0

Median Age

49.9%

Female

50.1%

Male

21.3%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.1%

5–9

5.3%

10–14

6.5%

15–19

7.4%

20–24

6.8%

25–34

10.8%

35–44

11.1%

45–54

11.8%

55–59

6.6%

60–64

7.3%

65–74

12.6%

75–84

7.3%

85+

1.4%

Children (under 15): 16.9% · Seniors (65+): 21.3%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$51,859$-6,058 vs state
Mean household income	$72,482
Per-capita income	$30,616
Poverty rate	14.3%+2.4% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.9%
Employment-to-population	47.3%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

29.1%

Finance & real estate

11.1%

Construction

8.7%

Manufacturing

7.0%

Education & health care

6.8%

Retail trade

6.2%

Agriculture

5.8%

Public administration

5.6%

The largest employment sector in Upshur County is professional & business services, accounting for 29.1% of workers.

How residents commute

0.0%

Drive alone

2.8%

Carpool

80.9%

Public transit

9.7%

Work from home

26.9 min

Avg commute

Housing

$160,700+$5,100 vs state

Median home value

$799

Median rent

79.7%

Homeownership rate

11,237

Total housing units

85.3%

Occupied

14.7%

Vacant

20.3%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

92.7%

With health insurance

90.4%

With broadband internet

21.6%

Foreign-born

7.7%

Veterans (18+)

16.4%

With a disability

98.9%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

88.4%

High School+

17.4%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in West Virginia

Charleston (47,918)Huntington (46,189)Morgantown (30,273)Parkersburg (29,461)Wheeling (26,670)Martinsburg (18,805)Weirton (18,785)Fairmont (18,303)Beckley (16,977)Clarksburg (15,829)All West Virginia cities →

Other counties in West Virginia

Kanawha County (178,198)Berkeley County (126,165)Monongalia County (106,520)Cabell County (93,300)Wood County (83,829)Raleigh County (73,666)Harrison County (65,407)Mercer County (59,062)Jefferson County (58,546)Putnam County (57,250)All West Virginia counties →

Part of West Virginia

West Virginia demographic profile All West Virginia data →

Metro areas in West Virginia

Washington (6,263,796)Huntington (372,801)Hagerstown (298,525)Charleston (207,456)Winchester (144,676)Morgantown (140,724)Wheeling (138,015)Weirton (115,566)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Upshur County, West Virginia has a population of 23,758 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 25th-largest county in West Virginia. Population density is 67 people per square mile.

The population of Upshur County has declined 2.4% since 2010 (24,242 → 23,650), a -0.18% annualized rate.

The median household income in Upshur County, West Virginia is $51,859, with mean (average) household income of $72,482 and per-capita income of $30,616. 14.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Upshur County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (92.8%), Black or African American (1.4%), Hispanic or Latino (0.9%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Upshur County, West Virginia is 42.0 years. Residents are 49.9% female and 50.1% male.

The median home value in Upshur County is $160,700 and median monthly rent is $799. 79.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 11,237 total housing units, 14.7% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Upshur County, West Virginia is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 29.1% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.9%.

Charleston is among the largest cities associated with Upshur County, West Virginia, with a population of 47,918.