HomeWest VirginiaMercer County
Mercer County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Mercer County, West Virginia had an estimated 57,524 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 59,654, across 419 square miles. County output reached $2.34 bn in 2024, 1,154 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 24 7(a) approvals worth $6.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Mercer County
How many people live in Mercer County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202458,563
- Households24,224
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$53,210
- Median age43.5
- Median gross rent$810 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$121,700
- Home value to household income2.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher22.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over41,567
- Population under 1812,204
- Share under 1820.8 percent
- Population 65 and over13,393
- Share 65 and over22.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6432,966
- Civilian labor force23,974
- Unemployment rate2.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over51.7 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties9th of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included911th of 3,222
Mercer County is the 9th largest of 55 West Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.3 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.9 percent against 20.8 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.
Mercer County
Is Mercer County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202457,524
- Census 2020 base population59,654
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.57 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-484
- Births, 2024503
- Deaths, 2024912
- Natural change, 2024-409
- Net domestic migration, 2024-140
- Net international migration, 202466
- Total net migration, 2024-74
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-165
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2831st of 3,144
The county has lost 3.57 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.
Mercer County
Where are people moving to Mercer County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving964
- People arriving, from those returns1,764
- Tax returns filed by households leaving947
- Net household movement17
- Adjusted gross income arriving$37.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-18.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$38,919
- Average income of a leaving household$58,755
- Largest single originTazewell County (134 households)
- Largest single destinationTazewell County (128 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tazewell County | 134 | 260 | $5.0 m |
| McDowell County | 85 | 154 | $2.9 m |
| Raleigh County | 60 | 116 | $2.7 m |
| Summers County | 26 | 56 | $840,000 |
| Monroe County | 25 | 48 | $850,000 |
| Wyoming County | 21 | 35 | $682,000 |
Households arriving report $19,836 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Tazewell 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.
Mercer County
What is the Mercer County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.34 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.26 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.2 percent
- GDP change over five years31.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes13th of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1155th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$39,898
Output grew 3.2 percent in the latest year and 31.4 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.
Mercer County
Employment by industry in Mercer County
- Covered employment, annual average19,314
- Establishments reporting1,682
- Average annual pay$50,193
- Average weekly wage$965
- Health care and social assistance, employment4,600
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$55,208
- Retail trade, employment2,822
- Retail trade, average annual pay$37,077
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,050
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,897
- Manufacturing, employment936
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$60,321
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment823
- Construction, employment734
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 4,600 | 413 | $55,208 |
| Retail trade | 2,822 | 218 | $37,077 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,050 | 118 | $20,897 |
| Manufacturing | 936 | 50 | $60,321 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 823 | 100 | $47,361 |
| Construction | 734 | 96 | $57,554 |
| Wholesale trade | 694 | 72 | $72,551 |
| Other services, except public administration | 519 | 105 | $44,357 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 4,600 jobs, 23.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Mercer County
How many businesses are in Mercer County?
- Establishments, all industries1,154
- Employment at those establishments17,231
- Annual payroll$793.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.7
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.
Mercer County
Building permits in Mercer County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20249
- Declared construction value permitted$1.2 m
- Single family units authorized4
- Multifamily units authorized5
- Multifamily share of units55.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$134,995
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.4
Multifamily is 55.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Mercer County
SBA loans in Mercer County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded24
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$257,925
- Median 7(a) approval$117,900
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$325,220
- Largest single approval$2,665,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)139
- Jobs per approval5.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals17
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter22
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderFirst Community Bank (13)
The average approval of $257,925 sits well above the median of $117,900, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 8.3 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.
Mercer County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Mercer County
Do SBA loans in Mercer County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled6
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure17
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.
Mercer County
SBA lending by place in Mercer County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Princeton, approvals14
- Bluefield, approvals6
- Lerona, approvals2
- Athens, approvals1
- Rock, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton | 14 | $1,367,500 |
| Bluefield | 6 | $4,247,700 |
| Lerona | 2 | $230,000 |
| Athens | 1 | $279,500 |
| Rock | 1 | $65,500 |
Princeton accounts for 14 approvals against 6 in Bluefield. 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.
Mercer County
How large is Mercer County?
- Land area419 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties28th of 55
- Width, east to west28.2 mi
- Height, north to south24.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land140
- Establishments per square mile2.75
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.
Mercer County
Flood risk in Mercer County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Mercer County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540124
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Mercer 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 Mercer County (community 540124), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Mercer 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 Mercer 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 Mercer County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202458,563
- Households24,224
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$53,210
- Median age43.5
Common questions
Mercer County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Mercer County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 57,524 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 58,563, in 24,224 households, ranking 9th of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Mercer County's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.57 percent since the 2020 census base of 59,654, to 57,524 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 503 births against 912 deaths, with net migration of -74. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Mercer County?
$53,210. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $121,700, which is 2.3 times income, and median gross rent is $810 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Mercer County?
1,154 establishments, employing 17,231 people with an annual payroll of $793.8 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 Mercer County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 4,600 jobs, 23.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 19,314 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,193, or $965 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Mercer County?
24 7(a) approvals totaling $6.2 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $117,900. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Mercer County?
9 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.2 m. Multifamily was 55.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Mercer 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 Mercer County come from?
The largest single origin is Tazewell County, with 134 households. Arriving households report an average income of $38,919 against $58,755 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Mercer 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 Mercer 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.
Mercer County
Cities and places in Mercer.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Mercer County. All 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefield | city | 9,387 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Princeton | city | 5,736 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Bluewell | CDP | 1,992 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Athens | town | 1,494 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Brush Fork | CDP | 1,096 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lashmeet | CDP | 655 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Montcalm | CDP | 484 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oakvale | town | 254 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bramwell | town | 135 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Matoaka | CDP | 30 | None recorded | 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 Mercer County, the largest being Lerona (2), Rock (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.