HomeWest VirginiaRoane County
Roane County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Roane County, West Virginia had an estimated 13,540 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,024, across 484 square miles. County output reached $366.5 m in 2024, 215 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 2 7(a) approvals worth $275,000 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Roane County
How many people live in Roane County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202413,786
- Households5,704
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$45,778
- Median age46.9
- Median gross rent$614 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$122,100
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over10,121
- Population under 182,763
- Share under 1820.0 percent
- Population 65 and over3,253
- Share 65 and over23.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 647,770
- Civilian labor force4,787
- Unemployment rate9.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over43.4 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties39th of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2241st of 3,222
Roane County is the 39th 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 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.6 percent against 20.0 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.
Roane County
Is Roane County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202413,540
- Census 2020 base population14,024
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.45 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-138
- Births, 2024106
- Deaths, 2024217
- Natural change, 2024-111
- Net domestic migration, 2024-29
- Net international migration, 20244
- Total net migration, 2024-25
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-18
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2815th of 3,144
The county has lost 3.45 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.
Roane County
Where are people moving to Roane County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving234
- People arriving, from those returns477
- Tax returns filed by households leaving218
- Net household movement16
- Adjusted gross income arriving$9.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$1.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$42,410
- Average income of a leaving household$38,702
- Largest single originKanawha County (67 households)
- Largest single destinationKanawha County (60 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County | 67 | 139 | $2.3 m |
| Jackson County | 24 | 56 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $3,708 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 Kanawha 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.
Roane County
What is the Roane County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$366.5 m
- County GDP, 2023$359.5 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.9 percent
- GDP change over five years16.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the West Virginia areas BEA publishes45th of 55
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2599th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$26,585
Output grew 1.9 percent in the latest year and 16.0 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.
Roane County
Employment by industry in Roane County
- Covered employment, annual average2,885
- Establishments reporting357
- Average annual pay$46,194
- Average weekly wage$888
- Retail trade, employment512
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,448
- Manufacturing, employment198
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$52,931
- Construction, employment177
- Construction, average annual pay$53,916
- Finance and insurance, employment156
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$71,287
- Accommodation and food services, employment156
- Wholesale trade, employment78
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 512 | 41 | $31,448 |
| Manufacturing | 198 | 11 | $52,931 |
| Construction | 177 | 40 | $53,916 |
| Finance and insurance | 156 | 14 | $71,287 |
| Accommodation and food services | 156 | 14 | $20,770 |
| Wholesale trade | 78 | 10 | $49,563 |
| Other services, except public administration | 33 | 16 | $38,111 |
| Information | 24 | 7 | $60,348 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 512 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Roane County
How many businesses are in Roane County?
- Establishments, all industries215
- Employment at those establishments1,995
- Annual payroll$85.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents15.6
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.
Roane County
Building permits in Roane County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202421
- Declared construction value permitted$3.0 m
- Single family units authorized21
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$144,333
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.7
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.
Roane County
SBA loans in Roane County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded2
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$275,000
- Average 7(a) approval$137,500
- Median 7(a) approval$137,500
- Largest single approval$150,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)10
- Jobs per approval5.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active2
- Distinct industries receiving approvals2
- Median 7(a) term113 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Roane County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Roane County
Do SBA loans in Roane County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure1
- Status: Paid in full1
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.
Roane County
SBA lending by place in Roane County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Walton, approvals1
- Looneyville, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Walton | 1 | $150,000 |
| Looneyville | 1 | $125,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Roane County
How large is Roane County?
- Land area484 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties18th of 55
- Width, east to west25 mi
- Height, north to south28.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land28
- Establishments per square mile0.44
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.
Roane County
Flood risk in Roane County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Roane County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 540183
- 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 Roane 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 Roane County (community 540183), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Roane 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 Roane 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 Roane County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202413,786
- Households5,704
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$45,778
- Median age46.9
Common questions
Roane County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Roane County, West Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 13,540 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 13,786, in 5,704 households, ranking 39th of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Roane County's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.45 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,024, to 13,540 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 106 births against 217 deaths, with net migration of -25. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Roane County?
$45,778. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $122,100, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $614 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Roane County?
215 establishments, employing 1,995 people with an annual payroll of $85.4 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 Roane County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 512 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 2,885 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,194, or $888 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Roane County?
2 7(a) approvals totaling $275,000 since FY2020, across 2 lenders, with a median approval of $137,500. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Roane County?
21 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $3.0 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Roane 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 Roane County come from?
The largest single origin is Kanawha County, with 67 households. Arriving households report an average income of $42,410 against $38,702 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Roane 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 Roane 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.
Roane County
Cities and places in Roane.
2 Census places lie wholly or partly in Roane 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer | city | 2,291 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Reedy | town | 292 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 2 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Roane County, the largest being Walton (1), Looneyville (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.