HomeWest VirginiaBrooke County
Brooke County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Brooke County, West Virginia had an estimated 21,285 residents on July 1, 2024, down 5.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,558, across 89 square miles. County output reached $1.32 bn in 2024, 366 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 4 7(a) approvals worth $490,400 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Brooke County
How many people live in Brooke County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202421,805
- Households9,675
- Average household size2.25
- Median household income$54,316
- Median age46.6
- Median gross rent$645 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$141,500
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over16,045
- Population under 183,741
- Share under 1817.2 percent
- Population 65 and over5,493
- Share 65 and over25.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6412,571
- Civilian labor force10,234
- Unemployment rate6.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.7 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties28th of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1783rd of 3,222
Brooke County is the 28th largest of 55 West Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 25.2 percent against 17.2 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Brooke County
Is Brooke County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202421,285
- Census 2020 base population22,558
- Population change since the 2020 census base-5.64 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-153
- Births, 2024143
- Deaths, 2024340
- Natural change, 2024-197
- Net domestic migration, 202413
- Net international migration, 202432
- Total net migration, 202445
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-333
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents3025th of 3,144
The county has lost 5.64 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Brooke County
Where are people moving to Brooke County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving516
- People arriving, from those returns878
- Tax returns filed by households leaving516
- Net household movement0
- Adjusted gross income arriving$22.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-3.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$43,880
- Average income of a leaving household$49,853
- Largest single originHancock County (149 households)
- Largest single destinationHancock County (145 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County | 149 | 254 | $6.6 m |
| Jefferson County | 59 | 97 | $2.3 m |
| Allegheny County | 40 | 65 | $2.6 m |
| Washington County | 32 | 45 | $1.3 m |
| Ohio County | 31 | 68 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $5,973 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Hancock County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Brooke County
What is the Brooke County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.32 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.32 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-0.4 percent
- GDP change over five years43.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes20th of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1619th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$60,392
Output grew -0.4 percent in the latest year and 43.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Brooke County
Employment by industry in Brooke County
- Covered employment, annual average7,062
- Establishments reporting618
- Average annual pay$52,534
- Average weekly wage$1,010
- Manufacturing, employment950
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$76,919
- Retail trade, employment916
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,185
- Accommodation and food services, employment683
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,148
- Arts, entertainment and recreation, employment154
- Arts, entertainment and recreation, average annual pay$19,157
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment127
- Wholesale trade, employment125
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 950 | 26 | $76,919 |
| Retail trade | 916 | 55 | $33,185 |
| Accommodation and food services | 683 | 48 | $21,148 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 154 | 27 | $19,157 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 127 | 42 | $45,856 |
| Wholesale trade | 125 | 31 | $78,637 |
| Finance and insurance | 125 | 26 | $65,857 |
| Other services, except public administration | 125 | 42 | $23,191 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 950 jobs, 13.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Brooke County
How many businesses are in Brooke County?
- Establishments, all industries366
- Employment at those establishments6,041
- Annual payroll$273.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Brooke County
Building permits in Brooke County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20240
- Declared construction value permitted$0
- Single family units authorized0
- Multifamily units authorized0
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. In a small county this is common and is not by itself a sign of distress, but it does mean there is no recent residential pipeline to read demand from.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Brooke County
SBA loans in Brooke County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded4
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$490,400
- Average 7(a) approval$122,600
- Median 7(a) approval$112,750
- Largest single approval$255,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)10
- Jobs per approval2.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter4
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals25.0 percent
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Brooke County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Brooke County
Do SBA loans in Brooke County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
Only 1 loan has reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Brooke County
SBA lending by place in Brooke County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Colliers, approvals3
- Weirton, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Colliers | 3 | $284,900 |
| Weirton | 1 | $205,500 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Brooke County
How large is Brooke County?
- Land area89 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties54th of 55
- Width, east to west8.8 mi
- Height, north to south16.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land245
- Establishments per square mile4.11
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Brooke County
Flood risk in Brooke County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Brooke County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540011
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Brooke County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Brooke County (community 540011), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Brooke County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Brooke County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Brooke County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202421,805
- Households9,675
- Average household size2.25
- Median household income$54,316
- Median age46.6
Common questions
Brooke County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Brooke County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 21,285 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 21,805, in 9,675 households, ranking 28th of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Brooke County's population growing?
The population has fallen 5.64 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,558, to 21,285 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 143 births against 340 deaths, with net migration of 45. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Brooke County?
$54,316. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $141,500, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $645 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Brooke County?
366 establishments, employing 6,041 people with an annual payroll of $273.0 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Brooke County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 950 jobs, 13.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,062 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,534, or $1,010 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Brooke County?
4 7(a) approvals totaling $490,400 since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $112,750. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Brooke County?
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Brooke County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Brooke County come from?
The largest single origin is Hancock County, with 149 households. Arriving households report an average income of $43,880 against $49,853 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Brooke County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Brooke County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Brooke County
Cities and places in Brooke.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Brooke County. All 8 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weirton | city | 18,647 | 1 | 36.4 percent here, 63.6 percent Hancock County |
| Follansbee | city | 2,757 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wellsburg | city | 2,203 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hooverson Heights | CDP | 2,090 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bethany | town | 1,039 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Windsor Heights | village | 491 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Beech Bottom | village | 443 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Colliers | CDP | 117 | 3 | Wholly in this county |