HomeWest VirginiaKanawha County
Kanawha County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Kanawha County, West Virginia had an estimated 173,906 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 180,721, across 902 square miles. County output reached $14.45 bn in 2024, 4,396 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 128 7(a) approvals worth $53.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Kanawha County
How many people live in Kanawha County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024176,537
- Households76,459
- Average household size2.31
- Median household income$60,943
- Median age43.8
- Median gross rent$906 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$147,300
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher29.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over128,199
- Population under 1834,925
- Share under 1819.8 percent
- Population 65 and over39,054
- Share 65 and over22.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64102,558
- Civilian labor force81,053
- Unemployment rate5.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over57.2 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties1st of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included388th of 3,222
Kanawha County is the 1st largest of 55 West Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.1 percent against 19.8 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.
Kanawha County
Is Kanawha County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024173,906
- Census 2020 base population180,721
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.77 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-696
- Births, 20241,584
- Deaths, 20242,406
- Natural change, 2024-822
- Net domestic migration, 2024-173
- Net international migration, 2024302
- Total net migration, 2024129
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-2,487
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2867th of 3,144
The county has lost 3.77 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.
Kanawha County
Where are people moving to Kanawha County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,229
- People arriving, from those returns5,484
- Tax returns filed by households leaving3,372
- Net household movement-143
- Adjusted gross income arriving$155.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-122.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$48,097
- Average income of a leaving household$82,472
- Largest single originPutnam County (503 households)
- Largest single destinationPutnam County (578 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 503 | 899 | $22.0 m |
| Cabell County | 189 | 293 | $7.2 m |
| Boone County | 114 | 203 | $4.8 m |
| Fayette County | 99 | 172 | $4.8 m |
| Jackson County | 99 | 170 | $4.3 m |
| Lincoln County | 81 | 146 | $3.2 m |
| Monongalia County | 78 | 103 | $3.5 m |
| Raleigh County | 65 | 101 | $2.4 m |
Households arriving report $34,375 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Putnam 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.
Kanawha County
What is the Kanawha County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$14.45 bn
- County GDP, 2023$13.76 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.0 percent
- GDP change over five years32.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes1st of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes334th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$81,839
Output grew 5.0 percent in the latest year and 32.0 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.
Kanawha County
Employment by industry in Kanawha County
- Covered employment, annual average97,845
- Establishments reporting6,860
- Average annual pay$61,997
- Average weekly wage$1,192
- Health care and social assistance, employment20,799
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$70,712
- Retail trade, employment9,647
- Retail trade, average annual pay$39,075
- Accommodation and food services, employment7,738
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$24,657
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment5,636
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$86,611
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment5,345
- Construction, employment4,097
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 20,799 | 1,196 | $70,712 |
| Retail trade | 9,647 | 692 | $39,075 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,738 | 439 | $24,657 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 5,636 | 904 | $86,611 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 5,345 | 493 | $45,410 |
| Construction | 4,097 | 464 | $77,307 |
| Finance and insurance | 3,629 | 402 | $89,984 |
| Manufacturing | 3,294 | 139 | $77,115 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 20,799 jobs, 21.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Kanawha County
How many businesses are in Kanawha County?
- Establishments, all industries4,396
- Employment at those establishments74,799
- Annual payroll$4.20 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.9
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.
Kanawha County
Building permits in Kanawha County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202498
- Declared construction value permitted$12.2 m
- Single family units authorized98
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$124,450
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.3
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Kanawha County
SBA loans in Kanawha County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded128
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$53.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$415,728
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,172,800
- Largest single approval$4,352,300
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,198
- Jobs per approval9.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active23
- Distinct industries receiving approvals66
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer10.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms14
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter107
- Franchise loans11
- Franchise share of approvals8.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countPlumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (9)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (68)
- 504 approvals recorded3
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.0 m
- Average 504 approval$1,994,333
- Median 504 approval$2,754,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval27.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.5
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$59.2 m
The average approval of $415,728 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 10.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
Kanawha County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Kanawha County
Do SBA loans in Kanawha County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded24
- Paid in full22
- Charged off2
- Status: Paid in full22
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure78
- Status: Cancelled19
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed7
Only 24 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.
Kanawha County
SBA lending by place in Kanawha County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending10
- Charleston, approvals70
- South Charleston, approvals22
- St. Albans, approvals13
- Nitro, approvals8
- Dunbar, approvals6
- Cross Lanes, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 70 | $32,170,200 |
| South Charleston | 22 | $5,660,600 |
| St. Albans | 13 | $6,150,500 |
| Nitro | 8 | $3,690,300 |
| Dunbar | 6 | $3,730,800 |
| Cross Lanes | 3 | $214,400 |
| Montgomery | 2 | $1,296,000 |
| S Charleston | 2 | $115,000 |
| 2 other borrower cities | 2 | $185,400 |
Charleston accounts for 70 approvals against 22 in South Charleston. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Kanawha County
How large is Kanawha County?
- Land area902 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties4th of 55
- Width, east to west39.1 mi
- Height, north to south45.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary9
- Residents per square mile of land196
- Establishments per square mile4.87
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.
Kanawha County
Flood risk in Kanawha County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Kanawha County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540070
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 9
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book16
- Of those, participating in the NFIP16
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Kanawha County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Kanawha County (community 540070), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 9, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Kanawha County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 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 Kanawha 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 Kanawha County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024176,537
- Households76,459
- Average household size2.31
- Median household income$60,943
- Median age43.8
Common questions
Kanawha County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Kanawha County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 173,906 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 176,537, in 76,459 households, ranking 1st of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Kanawha County's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.77 percent since the 2020 census base of 180,721, to 173,906 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,584 births against 2,406 deaths, with net migration of 129. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Kanawha County?
$60,943. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $147,300, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $906 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Kanawha County?
4,396 establishments, employing 74,799 people with an annual payroll of $4.20 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Kanawha County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 20,799 jobs, 21.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 97,845 jobs at an average annual pay of $61,997, or $1,192 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Kanawha County?
128 7(a) approvals totaling $53.2 m since FY2020, across 23 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 3 504 approvals worth $6.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Kanawha County?
98 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $12.2 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Kanawha County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Kanawha County come from?
The largest single origin is Putnam County, with 503 households. Arriving households report an average income of $48,097 against $82,472 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Kanawha 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 Kanawha 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.
Kanawha County
Cities and places in Kanawha.
34 Census places lie wholly or partly in Kanawha County. All 34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | city | 47,421 | 70 | Wholly in this county |
| South Charleston | city | 13,457 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| St. Albans | city | 10,522 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Cross Lanes | CDP | 9,671 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Dunbar | city | 7,254 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Nitro | city | 6,853 | 8 | 83.6 percent here, 16.4 percent Putnam County |
| Pinch | CDP | 4,037 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sissonville | CDP | 3,593 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alum Creek | CDP | 1,749 | None recorded | 3.7 percent here, 96.3 percent Lincoln County |
| Chesapeake | town | 1,702 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Belle | town | 1,611 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Marmet | city | 1,524 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Montgomery | city | 1,516 | 2 | 30.0 percent here, 70.0 percent Fayette County |
| Coal Fork | CDP | 1,423 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tornado | CDP | 1,114 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rand | CDP | 1,064 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clendenin | town | 903 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glasgow | town | 878 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| East Bank | town | 850 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Elkview | CDP | 671 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Big Chimney | CDP | 610 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chelyan | CDP | 564 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jefferson | CDP | 534 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Institute | CDP | 521 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dupont City | CDP | 501 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cedar Grove | town | 489 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pratt | town | 438 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| West Dunbar | CDP | 425 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Handley | town | 418 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Eskdale | CDP | 326 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Malden | CDP | 320 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shrewsbury | CDP | 310 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hansford | CDP | 77 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hollygrove | CDP | 74 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 128 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Kanawha County, the largest being S Charleston (2). 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.