HomeWest VirginiaPreston County
Preston County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Preston County, West Virginia had an estimated 34,055 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,215, across 649 square miles. County output reached $1.01 bn in 2024, 509 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 29 7(a) approvals worth $8.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Preston County
How many people live in Preston County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202434,160
- Households12,809
- Average household size2.67
- Median household income$61,880
- Median age43.3
- Median gross rent$750 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$162,800
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over25,831
- Population under 186,104
- Share under 1817.9 percent
- Population 65 and over6,986
- Share 65 and over20.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6421,070
- Civilian labor force14,306
- Unemployment rate5.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over51.0 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties15th of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1361st of 3,222
Preston County is the 15th largest of 55 West Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 20.5 percent against 17.9 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.
Preston County
Is Preston County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202434,055
- Census 2020 base population34,215
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.47 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20245
- Births, 2024289
- Deaths, 2024416
- Natural change, 2024-127
- Net domestic migration, 202490
- Net international migration, 202441
- Total net migration, 2024131
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024415
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2014th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.47 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.
Preston County
Where are people moving to Preston County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving587
- People arriving, from those returns1,035
- Tax returns filed by households leaving539
- Net household movement48
- Adjusted gross income arriving$32.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$5.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$55,925
- Average income of a leaving household$50,373
- Largest single originMonongalia County (158 households)
- Largest single destinationMonongalia County (168 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monongalia County | 158 | 293 | $8.4 m |
| Garrett County | 44 | 80 | $1.9 m |
| Marion County | 20 | 40 | $853,000 |
Households arriving report $5,552 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 Monongalia 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.
Preston County
What is the Preston County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.01 bn
- County GDP, 2023$954.8 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.0 percent
- GDP change over five years24.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes30th of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1832nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$29,626
Output grew 6.0 percent in the latest year and 24.7 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.
Preston County
Employment by industry in Preston County
- Covered employment, annual average7,208
- Establishments reporting884
- Average annual pay$55,402
- Average weekly wage$1,065
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,062
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$44,639
- Construction, employment1,020
- Construction, average annual pay$68,050
- Retail trade, employment782
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,322
- Manufacturing, employment534
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$60,604
- Accommodation and food services, employment448
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment187
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,062 | 199 | $44,639 |
| Construction | 1,020 | 110 | $68,050 |
| Retail trade | 782 | 84 | $31,322 |
| Manufacturing | 534 | 27 | $60,604 |
| Accommodation and food services | 448 | 40 | $21,152 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 187 | 70 | $65,162 |
| Other services, except public administration | 185 | 47 | $34,269 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 162 | 35 | $61,087 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,062 jobs, 14.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Preston County
How many businesses are in Preston County?
- Establishments, all industries509
- Employment at those establishments5,012
- Annual payroll$227.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents14.9
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.
Preston County
Building permits in Preston County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241
- Declared construction value permitted$305,000
- Single family units authorized1
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$305,000
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.1
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.
Preston County
SBA loans in Preston County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded29
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$8.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$276,803
- Median 7(a) approval$128,100
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$452,000
- Largest single approval$2,045,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)157
- Jobs per approval5.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals25
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter20
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals6.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countOffices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (3)
- Most active lenderClear Mountain Bank, Inc. (22)
The average approval of $276,803 sits well above the median of $128,100, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 13.8 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.
Preston County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Preston County
Do SBA loans in Preston County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full7
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure14
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Cancelled6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 8 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.
Preston County
SBA lending by place in Preston County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Kingwood, approvals8
- Bruceton Mills, approvals7
- Reedsville, approvals5
- Masontown, approvals3
- Arthurdale, approvals2
- Terra Alta, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Kingwood | 8 | $3,003,300 |
| Bruceton Mills | 7 | $2,796,700 |
| Reedsville | 5 | $421,300 |
| Masontown | 3 | $1,410,000 |
| Arthurdale | 2 | $143,100 |
| Terra Alta | 1 | $112,500 |
| Albright | 1 | $49,400 |
| Tunnelton | 1 | $46,000 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $45,000 |
Kingwood accounts for 8 approvals against 7 in Bruceton Mills. 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.
Preston County
How large is Preston County?
- Land area649 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties7th of 55
- Width, east to west22.6 mi
- Height, north to south36.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land53
- Establishments per square mile0.78
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.
Preston County
Flood risk in Preston County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Preston County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540160
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate90.9 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Preston 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 Preston County (community 540160), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Preston 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. 90.9 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 Preston 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 Preston County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202434,160
- Households12,809
- Average household size2.67
- Median household income$61,880
- Median age43.3
Common questions
Preston County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Preston County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 34,055 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 34,160, in 12,809 households, ranking 15th of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Preston County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.47 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,215, to 34,055 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 289 births against 416 deaths, with net migration of 131. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Preston County?
$61,880. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $162,800, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $750 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Preston County?
509 establishments, employing 5,012 people with an annual payroll of $227.6 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 Preston County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,062 jobs, 14.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,208 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,402, or $1,065 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Preston County?
29 7(a) approvals totaling $8.0 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $128,100. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Preston County?
1 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $305,000. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Preston 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 Preston County come from?
The largest single origin is Monongalia County, with 158 households. Arriving households report an average income of $55,925 against $50,373 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Preston 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 Preston 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.
Preston County
Cities and places in Preston.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Preston County. All 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingwood | city | 2,973 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Terra Alta | town | 1,841 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Arthurdale | CDP | 982 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Rowlesburg | town | 773 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Masontown | town | 518 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Reedsville | town | 504 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Tunnelton | town | 404 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Aurora | CDP | 284 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Albright | town | 254 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Newburg | town | 226 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brandonville | town | 166 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bruceton Mills | town | 71 | 7 | Wholly in this county |