HomeWest VirginiaMonroe County
Monroe County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Monroe County, West Virginia had an estimated 12,462 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,379, across 473 square miles. County output reached $309.4 m in 2024, 171 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 8 7(a) approvals worth $2.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Monroe County
How many people live in Monroe County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,386
- Households4,619
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$56,750
- Median age46.2
- Median gross rent$690 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$156,300
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over8,946
- Population under 182,628
- Share under 1821.2 percent
- Population 65 and over3,110
- Share 65 and over25.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,648
- Civilian labor force4,845
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over49.7 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties40th of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2330th of 3,222
Monroe County is the 40th largest of 55 West Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 25.1 percent against 21.2 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.
Monroe County
Is Monroe County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202412,462
- Census 2020 base population12,379
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.67 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202486
- Births, 2024131
- Deaths, 2024202
- Natural change, 2024-71
- Net domestic migration, 2024162
- Net international migration, 20240
- Total net migration, 2024162
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024421
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1599th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.67 percent 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.
Monroe County
Where are people moving to Monroe County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving240
- People arriving, from those returns454
- Tax returns filed by households leaving217
- Net household movement23
- Adjusted gross income arriving$12.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$4.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$53,113
- Average income of a leaving household$38,005
- Largest single originGreenbrier County (49 households)
- Largest single destinationGreenbrier County (68 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenbrier County | 49 | 103 | $1.7 m |
| Giles County | 34 | 76 | $1.8 m |
| Mercer County | 26 | 47 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $15,108 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Greenbrier 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.
Monroe County
What is the Monroe County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$309.4 m
- County GDP, 2023$286.3 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.1 percent
- GDP change over five years25.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes48th of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2685th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$24,980
Output grew 8.1 percent in the latest year and 25.0 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.
Monroe County
Employment by industry in Monroe County
- Covered employment, annual average2,046
- Establishments reporting317
- Average annual pay$47,016
- Average weekly wage$904
- Manufacturing, employment405
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$53,876
- Health care and social assistance, employment354
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$38,192
- Retail trade, employment105
- Retail trade, average annual pay$21,840
- Construction, employment101
- Construction, average annual pay$48,750
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment43
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment42
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 405 | 14 | $53,876 |
| Health care and social assistance | 354 | 64 | $38,192 |
| Retail trade | 105 | 27 | $21,840 |
| Construction | 101 | 39 | $48,750 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 43 | 22 | $45,914 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 42 | 30 | $57,813 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 40 | 10 | $38,643 |
| Wholesale trade | 14 | 14 | $78,397 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 405 jobs, 19.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Monroe County
How many businesses are in Monroe County?
- Establishments, all industries171
- Employment at those establishments1,184
- Annual payroll$46.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents13.8
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.
Monroe County
Building permits in Monroe 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.
Monroe County
SBA loans in Monroe County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded8
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$320,113
- Median 7(a) approval$107,500
- Largest single approval$1,494,400
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)126
- Jobs per approval15.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals5
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer50.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter4
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderFirst Community Bank (5)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Monroe County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Monroe County
Do SBA loans in Monroe County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 0 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.
Monroe County
SBA lending by place in Monroe County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Lindside, approvals3
- Peterstown, approvals2
- Ballard, approvals2
- Sinks Grove, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Lindside | 3 | $145,500 |
| Peterstown | 2 | $1,594,400 |
| Ballard | 2 | $146,000 |
| Sinks Grove | 1 | $675,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Monroe County
How large is Monroe County?
- Land area473 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties20th of 55
- Width, east to west35 mi
- Height, north to south24.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land26
- Establishments per square mile0.36
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.
Monroe County
Flood risk in Monroe County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Monroe County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540278
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Monroe 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 Monroe County (community 540278), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202412,386
- Households4,619
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$56,750
- Median age46.2
Common questions
Monroe County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Monroe County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 12,462 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 12,386, in 4,619 households, ranking 40th of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Monroe County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.67 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,379, to 12,462 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 131 births against 202 deaths, with net migration of 162. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Monroe County?
$56,750. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $156,300, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $690 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Monroe County?
171 establishments, employing 1,184 people with an annual payroll of $46.9 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 Monroe County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 405 jobs, 19.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 2,046 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,016, or $904 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Monroe County?
8 7(a) approvals totaling $2.6 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $107,500. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County come from?
The largest single origin is Greenbrier County, with 49 households. Arriving households report an average income of $53,113 against $38,005 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Monroe 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 Monroe 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.
Monroe County
Cities and places in Monroe.
3 Census places lie wholly or partly in Monroe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alderson | town | 1,383 | None recorded | 31.4 percent here, 68.6 percent Greenbrier County |
| Peterstown | town | 594 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Union | town | 476 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 6 of the county's 8 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Monroe County, the largest being Lindside (3), Ballard (2), Sinks Grove (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.