HomeWest VirginiaLewis County
Lewis County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Lewis County, West Virginia had an estimated 16,477 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,030, across 385 square miles. County output reached $724.1 m in 2024, 363 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 24 7(a) approvals worth $5.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lewis County
How many people live in Lewis County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,740
- Households6,967
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$56,477
- Median age43.0
- Median gross rent$730 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$151,800
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over11,927
- Population under 183,636
- Share under 1821.7 percent
- Population 65 and over3,528
- Share 65 and over21.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,576
- Civilian labor force7,161
- Unemployment rate8.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over54.6 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties34th of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2054th of 3,222
Lewis County is the 34th 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 21.7 percent against 21.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lewis County
Is Lewis County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202416,477
- Census 2020 base population17,030
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.25 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-128
- Births, 2024181
- Deaths, 2024277
- Natural change, 2024-96
- Net domestic migration, 2024-31
- Net international migration, 20240
- Total net migration, 2024-31
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-45
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2782nd of 3,144
The county has lost 3.25 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population fell in 2024 from both sources: deaths exceeded births and more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lewis County
Where are people moving to Lewis County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving338
- People arriving, from those returns573
- Tax returns filed by households leaving333
- Net household movement5
- Adjusted gross income arriving$12.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-1.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$37,423
- Average income of a leaving household$41,979
- Largest single originHarrison County (86 households)
- Largest single destinationHarrison County (66 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County | 86 | 158 | $3.6 m |
| Upshur County | 64 | 111 | $1.9 m |
| Marion County | 25 | 41 | $1.1 m |
| Gilmer County | 21 | 35 | $705,000 |
Households arriving report $4,556 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Harrison 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.
Lewis County
What is the Lewis County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$724.1 m
- County GDP, 2023$695.5 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.1 percent
- GDP change over five years26.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes36th of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2114th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$43,256
Output grew 4.1 percent in the latest year and 26.1 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.
Lewis County
Employment by industry in Lewis County
- Covered employment, annual average5,743
- Establishments reporting540
- Average annual pay$51,319
- Average weekly wage$987
- Retail trade, employment767
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,667
- Accommodation and food services, employment724
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,077
- Construction, employment392
- Construction, average annual pay$64,740
- Transportation and warehousing, employment296
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$81,005
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment247
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment194
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 767 | 70 | $33,667 |
| Accommodation and food services | 724 | 40 | $25,077 |
| Construction | 392 | 40 | $64,740 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 296 | 24 | $81,005 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 247 | 27 | $57,393 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 194 | 26 | $92,446 |
| Manufacturing | 192 | 9 | $61,217 |
| Other services, except public administration | 111 | 36 | $35,465 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 767 jobs, 13.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lewis County
How many businesses are in Lewis County?
- Establishments, all industries363
- Employment at those establishments4,622
- Annual payroll$223.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.7
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.
Lewis County
Building permits in Lewis County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20245
- Declared construction value permitted$825,000
- Single family units authorized5
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$165,000
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.7
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.
Lewis County
SBA loans in Lewis County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded24
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$210,992
- Median 7(a) approval$125,400
- 10th percentile approval$48,390
- 90th percentile approval$500,000
- Largest single approval$898,500
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)119
- Jobs per approval5.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals18
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter19
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals4.2 percent
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (13)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.4 m
- Average 504 approval$1,387,000
- Median 504 approval$1,387,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval5.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved3.6
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$6.5 m
The average approval of $210,992 sits well above the median of $125,400, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 16.7 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.
Lewis County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lewis County
Do SBA loans in Lewis County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure17
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
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.
Lewis County
SBA lending by place in Lewis County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Weston, approvals12
- Jane Lew, approvals9
- Roanoke, approvals2
- Horner, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Weston | 12 | $2,850,300 |
| Jane Lew | 9 | $1,655,800 |
| Roanoke | 2 | $57,700 |
| Horner | 1 | $500,000 |
Weston accounts for 12 approvals against 9 in Jane Lew. 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.
Lewis County
How large is Lewis County?
- Land area385 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties30th of 55
- Width, east to west23.1 mi
- Height, north to south30.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land43
- Establishments per square mile0.94
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.
Lewis County
Flood risk in Lewis County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Lewis County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540085
- 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 Lewis 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 Lewis County (community 540085), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,740
- Households6,967
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$56,477
- Median age43.0
Common questions
Lewis County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lewis County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 16,477 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 16,740, in 6,967 households, ranking 34th of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lewis County's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.25 percent since the 2020 census base of 17,030, to 16,477 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 181 births against 277 deaths, with net migration of -31. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lewis County?
$56,477. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $151,800, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $730 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lewis County?
363 establishments, employing 4,622 people with an annual payroll of $223.1 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 Lewis County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 767 jobs, 13.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,743 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,319, or $987 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lewis County?
24 7(a) approvals totaling $5.1 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $125,400, plus 1 504 approvals worth $1.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lewis County?
5 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $825,000. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lewis 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 Lewis County come from?
The largest single origin is Harrison County, with 86 households. Arriving households report an average income of $37,423 against $41,979 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lewis 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 Lewis 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.
Lewis County
Cities and places in Lewis.
2 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lewis County. All 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weston | city | 3,840 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Jane Lew | town | 480 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 24 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Lewis County, the largest being Roanoke (2), Horner (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.