HomeWest VirginiaRaleigh County
Raleigh County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Raleigh County, West Virginia had an estimated 72,379 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 74,592, across 605 square miles. County output reached $4.53 bn in 2024, 1,713 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 26 7(a) approvals worth $14.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Raleigh County
How many people live in Raleigh County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202473,195
- Households29,004
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$52,150
- Median age42.9
- Median gross rent$902 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$150,900
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher22.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over52,099
- Population under 1815,392
- Share under 1821.0 percent
- Population 65 and over16,208
- Share 65 and over22.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6441,595
- Civilian labor force28,484
- Unemployment rate5.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over49.3 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties6th of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included765th of 3,222
Raleigh County is the 6th largest of 55 West Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.1 percent against 21.0 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.
Raleigh County
Is Raleigh County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202472,379
- Census 2020 base population74,592
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.97 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-147
- Births, 2024658
- Deaths, 20241,062
- Natural change, 2024-404
- Net domestic migration, 202497
- Net international migration, 2024160
- Total net migration, 2024257
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-92
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2735th of 3,144
The county has lost 2.97 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.
Raleigh County
Where are people moving to Raleigh County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,190
- People arriving, from those returns2,199
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,184
- Net household movement6
- Adjusted gross income arriving$65.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$2.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$55,274
- Average income of a leaving household$53,664
- Largest single originFayette County (202 households)
- Largest single destinationFayette County (136 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County | 202 | 410 | $9.2 m |
| Mercer County | 78 | 139 | $3.0 m |
| Wyoming County | 75 | 124 | $3.1 m |
| Kanawha County | 68 | 125 | $4.3 m |
| Greenbrier County | 38 | 62 | $4.1 m |
| Summers County | 31 | 59 | $1.6 m |
| Monongalia County | 21 | 27 | $1.4 m |
| Nicholas County | 20 | 46 | $822,000 |
Households arriving report $1,610 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 Fayette 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.
Raleigh County
What is the Raleigh County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$4.53 bn
- County GDP, 2023$4.23 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.1 percent
- GDP change over five years44.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes8th of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes751st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$61,918
Output grew 7.1 percent in the latest year and 44.6 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.
Raleigh County
Employment by industry in Raleigh County
- Covered employment, annual average32,322
- Establishments reporting2,608
- Average annual pay$54,223
- Average weekly wage$1,043
- Health care and social assistance, employment6,679
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$53,377
- Retail trade, employment4,314
- Retail trade, average annual pay$37,740
- Accommodation and food services, employment3,395
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,959
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, employment2,048
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, average annual pay$111,715
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment2,024
- Construction, employment1,122
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 6,679 | 569 | $53,377 |
| Retail trade | 4,314 | 316 | $37,740 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,395 | 160 | $21,959 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 2,048 | 28 | $111,715 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 2,024 | 174 | $42,544 |
| Construction | 1,122 | 203 | $59,354 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,067 | 128 | $71,810 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 983 | 228 | $60,335 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 6,679 jobs, 20.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Raleigh County
How many businesses are in Raleigh County?
- Establishments, all industries1,713
- Employment at those establishments26,532
- Annual payroll$1.23 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.4
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.
Raleigh County
Building permits in Raleigh County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202441
- Declared construction value permitted$11.0 m
- Single family units authorized41
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$267,460
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.4
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.
Raleigh County
SBA loans in Raleigh County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded26
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$14.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$540,877
- Median 7(a) approval$165,000
- 10th percentile approval$38,700
- 90th percentile approval$1,667,150
- Largest single approval$3,765,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)158
- Jobs per approval6.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active14
- Distinct industries receiving approvals17
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter19
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals3.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countOffices of Chiropractors (6)
- Most active lenderFirst Community Bank (7)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.9 m
- Average 504 approval$777,400
- Median 504 approval$453,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval14.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved18.0
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$17.9 m
The average approval of $540,877 sits well above the median of $165,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 11.5 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.
Raleigh County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Raleigh County
Do SBA loans in Raleigh County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure20
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 4 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.
Raleigh County
SBA lending by place in Raleigh County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Beckley, approvals23
- Prosperity, approvals1
- Daniels, approvals1
- Cool Ridge, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Beckley | 23 | $10,807,800 |
| Prosperity | 1 | $2,805,000 |
| Daniels | 1 | $300,000 |
| Cool Ridge | 1 | $150,000 |
Beckley accounts for 23 approvals against 1 in Prosperity. 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.
Raleigh County
How large is Raleigh County?
- Land area605 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties10th of 55
- Width, east to west37.7 mi
- Height, north to south32.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land121
- Establishments per square mile2.83
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.
Raleigh County
Flood risk in Raleigh County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Raleigh County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540169
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Raleigh 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 Raleigh County (community 540169), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Raleigh 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202473,195
- Households29,004
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$52,150
- Median age42.9
Common questions
Raleigh County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Raleigh County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 72,379 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 73,195, in 29,004 households, ranking 6th of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Raleigh County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.97 percent since the 2020 census base of 74,592, to 72,379 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 658 births against 1,062 deaths, with net migration of 257. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Raleigh County?
$52,150. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $150,900, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $902 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Raleigh County?
1,713 establishments, employing 26,532 people with an annual payroll of $1.23 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 Raleigh County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 6,679 jobs, 20.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 32,322 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,223, or $1,043 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Raleigh County?
26 7(a) approvals totaling $14.1 m since FY2020, across 14 lenders, with a median approval of $165,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $3.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Raleigh County?
41 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.0 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Raleigh 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 Raleigh County come from?
The largest single origin is Fayette County, with 202 households. Arriving households report an average income of $55,274 against $53,664 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Raleigh 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 Raleigh 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.
Raleigh County
Cities and places in Raleigh.
24 Census places lie wholly or partly in Raleigh County. 23 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckley | city | 16,818 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Shady Spring | CDP | 3,381 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sophia | town | 1,528 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| MacArthur | CDP | 1,493 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Daniels | CDP | 1,489 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Stanaford | CDP | 1,449 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bradley | CDP | 1,424 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mabscott | town | 1,396 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Prosperity | CDP | 1,389 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Crab Orchard | CDP | 1,139 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Piney View | CDP | 986 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sprague | CDP | 952 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Coal City | CDP | 724 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Beaver | CDP | 695 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lester | town | 377 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Raleigh | CDP | 325 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ghent | CDP | 290 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Colcord | CDP | 201 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bolt | CDP | 195 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glen White | CDP | 193 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rhodell | town | 137 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dorothy | CDP | 115 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Eccles | CDP | 64 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Helen | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 26 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Raleigh County, the largest being Cool Ridge (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.