Princeton, WV · standard
ZIP Code 24740
Mercer County, West Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 30,435
- 73/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $44,793
- Median income Below-median income area
- $132,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 22.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Princeton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 9th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 20th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 73
- people per sq mi
- 64%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 24740 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 24740 (Princeton, WV) rose +6.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 173.7 in 2023 to 185.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 24740 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Princeton, Mercer County, West Virginia, with 30,435 residents across 415.2 square miles, a density of 73 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 24740 reports a modest median household income of $44,793 (22% below the average West Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $32,484. The poverty rate is 18.4%, with unemployment at 2.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $132,300 (4% below the average West Virginia ZIP) and median rent is $798; 64.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.7, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Mercer County, so 24740 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 24740
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Princeton, WV
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 24740.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
124 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
91 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
73 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
55 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 36
Professional, scientific, and technical services
36 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 24740, Princeton, WV · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
30,435
Population
415.2
Area (sq mi)
73
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 24740?
38.7
Median Age
49.6%
Male
50.4%
Female
0.3%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$44,793
Median Household Income
-22% vs state ZIP avg
$32,484
Per Capita Income
18.4%
Poverty Rate
2.1%
Unemployment Rate
20.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 24740 ranks nationally
Princeton, WV household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$44,793 9th percentile higher than 9% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
8,211housing units
8,211
Total Housing Units
7,023
Occupied Units
1,188
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$132,300
Median Home Value
-4% vs state ZIP avg
$798
Median Rent
1973
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+6.8%
YoY Change (2024)
186
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+86%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 24740 have increased 6.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +86% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.4% | 147 |
| 2021 | +6.2% | 156 |
| 2022 | +7.4% | 167 |
| 2023 | +3.7% | 174 |
| 2024 | +6.8% | 186 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 556 business establishments in ZIP 24740, employing approximately 9,689 people with a combined annual payroll of $445,617,000.
556
Businesses
9,689
Employees
$445.6M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 124 | 22.3% |
| Retail trade | 91 | 16.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 73 | 13.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 55 | 9.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 36 | 6.5% |
| Construction | 32 | 5.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 32 | 5.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 21 | 3.8% |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 3.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 14 | 2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 12 | 2.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 12 | 2.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 11 | 2.0% |
| Information | 9 | 1.6% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 6 | 1.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 24740 vs 24712 →
ZIP 24740 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 24740
Princeton (24740)
30,435 residents
- 24712 2,063
Athens (24712)
2,063 residents
- 25971 1,130
Lerona (25971)
1,130 residents
- 25979 893
Pipestem (25979)
893 residents
- 24366 781
Rocky Gap (24366)
781 residents
- 25820 437
Camp Creek (25820)
437 residents
- 25922 299
Spanishburg (25922)
299 residents
- 24731 255
Kegley (24731)
255 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 24740 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 24740 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 25820
Camp Creek (25820)
$135,568 median income
- 24712
Athens (24712)
$80,625 median income
- 25971
Lerona (25971)
$74,439 median income
- 25979 $50,132
Pipestem (25979)
$50,132 median income
- 24740 $44,793
Princeton (24740)
$44,793 median income
- 24366 $33,148
Rocky Gap (24366)
$33,148 median income
- 25922 $2,499
Spanishburg (25922)
$2,499 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 24740 ranks #5 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 24740, both outside WV so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (30,435 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Mercer County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 24740 in?
ZIP code 24740 (Princeton) is located in Mercer County, West Virginia. Mercer County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mercer-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 24740?
ZIP code 24740 in Princeton, WV has a population of 30,435 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 24740?
The median household income in ZIP 24740 is $44,793, which is 41% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 24740?
The median home value in ZIP 24740 is $132,300, which is 52% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 24740?
The largest racial group in ZIP 24740 is White at 88.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 24740?
ZIP code 24740 has 556 business establishments employing approximately 9,689 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 24740?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 24740 are: Health care and social assistance (124), Retail trade (91), Accommodation and food services (73). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 24740?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 24740 increased by 6.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 86%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 24740?
In ZIP code 24740, 64.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 24740?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 24740 is 20.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 24740?
In ZIP code 24740, approximately 64.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 24740?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 24740 is 18.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 24740's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 24740 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Princeton, WV ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.