HomeWest VirginiaJackson County
Jackson County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Jackson County, West Virginia had an estimated 27,718 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 27,793, across 464 square miles. County output reached $1.07 bn in 2024, 472 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 12 7(a) approvals worth $5.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Jackson County
How many people live in Jackson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202427,705
- Households11,515
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$58,845
- Median age43.4
- Median gross rent$716 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$157,200
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over19,772
- Population under 185,942
- Share under 1821.4 percent
- Population 65 and over5,887
- Share 65 and over21.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6415,876
- Civilian labor force10,979
- Unemployment rate5.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over50.4 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties20th of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1556th of 3,222
Jackson County is the 20th largest of 55 West Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.4 percent against 21.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Jackson County
Is Jackson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202427,718
- Census 2020 base population27,793
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.27 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202450
- Births, 2024272
- Deaths, 2024398
- Natural change, 2024-126
- Net domestic migration, 20240
- Net international migration, 2024177
- Total net migration, 2024177
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024257
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1953rd of 3,144
The county has lost 0.27 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Jackson County
Where are people moving to Jackson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving506
- People arriving, from those returns972
- Tax returns filed by households leaving505
- Net household movement1
- Adjusted gross income arriving$23.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$46,522
- Average income of a leaving household$51,941
- Largest single originKanawha County (88 households)
- Largest single destinationKanawha County (99 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County | 88 | 164 | $3.5 m |
| Wood County | 40 | 81 | $1.7 m |
| Mason County | 36 | 72 | $1.4 m |
| Roane County | 25 | 58 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $5,419 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Kanawha 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.
Jackson County
What is the Jackson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.07 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.16 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-8.1 percent
- GDP change over five years13.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes27th of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1797th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$38,463
Output grew -8.1 percent in the latest year and 13.4 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.
Jackson County
Employment by industry in Jackson County
- Covered employment, annual average7,810
- Establishments reporting726
- Average annual pay$52,922
- Average weekly wage$1,018
- Manufacturing, employment1,588
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$88,555
- Retail trade, employment1,093
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,040
- Accommodation and food services, employment743
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,038
- Construction, employment310
- Construction, average annual pay$58,032
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment235
- Wholesale trade, employment220
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,588 | 22 | $88,555 |
| Retail trade | 1,093 | 89 | $34,040 |
| Accommodation and food services | 743 | 46 | $18,038 |
| Construction | 310 | 64 | $58,032 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 235 | 67 | $66,070 |
| Wholesale trade | 220 | 28 | $48,188 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 204 | 20 | $80,363 |
| Other services, except public administration | 200 | 47 | $36,281 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,588 jobs, 20.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Jackson County
How many businesses are in Jackson County?
- Establishments, all industries472
- Employment at those establishments6,630
- Annual payroll$335.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.0
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.
Jackson County
Building permits in Jackson 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.
Jackson County
SBA loans in Jackson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded12
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$416,175
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- Largest single approval$2,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)122
- Jobs per approval10.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals8
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter9
- Franchise loans4
- Franchise share of approvals33.3 percent
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (5)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$602,000
- Average 504 approval$602,000
- Median 504 approval$602,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval0.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved0.0
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$5.6 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Jackson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Jackson County
Do SBA loans in Jackson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 3 loans have 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.
Jackson County
SBA lending by place in Jackson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Ripley, approvals7
- Ravenswood, approvals2
- Cary, approvals1
- Millwood, approvals1
- Kenna, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Ripley | 7 | $1,580,600 |
| Ravenswood | 2 | $13,500 |
| Cary | 1 | $2,000,000 |
| Millwood | 1 | $1,250,000 |
| Kenna | 1 | $150,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Jackson County
How large is Jackson County?
- Land area464 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties21st of 55
- Width, east to west21.9 mi
- Height, north to south37.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land60
- Establishments per square mile1.02
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.
Jackson County
Flood risk in Jackson County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Jackson County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540063
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Jackson County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Jackson County (community 540063), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Jackson County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202427,705
- Households11,515
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$58,845
- Median age43.4
Common questions
Jackson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Jackson County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 27,718 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 27,705, in 11,515 households, ranking 20th of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Jackson County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.27 percent since the 2020 census base of 27,793, to 27,718 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 272 births against 398 deaths, with net migration of 177. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Jackson County?
$58,845. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,200, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $716 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Jackson County?
472 establishments, employing 6,630 people with an annual payroll of $335.0 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 Jackson County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,588 jobs, 20.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,810 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,922, or $1,018 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Jackson County?
12 7(a) approvals totaling $5.0 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $602,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Jackson 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 Jackson County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Jackson County come from?
The largest single origin is Kanawha County, with 88 households. Arriving households report an average income of $46,522 against $51,941 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Jackson 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 Jackson 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.
Jackson County
Cities and places in Jackson.
3 Census places lie wholly or partly in Jackson County. All 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravenswood | city | 3,830 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Ripley | city | 3,071 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Cottageville | CDP | 310 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 12 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Jackson County, the largest being Cary (1), Millwood (1), Kenna (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.