PlainZIP

Lester, WV · standard

ZIP Code 25865

Raleigh County, West Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

1,475
22/sq mi
$38,173
Median income
$170,000
Median home value
11.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lester pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

5th pct
household income, US ZIPs
34th pct
home value, US ZIPs
22
people per sq mi
87%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 25865 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 25865 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lester, Raleigh County, West Virginia, home to just 1,475 residents across 65.8 square miles, a density of 22 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 25865 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $38,173 (34% below the West Virginia average), while per-capita income is $25,485. Poverty here runs at 26.1%, with unemployment measured at 1.2%. The typical home here is valued at $170,000 (23% above the state average); renters pay a median of $975 monthly, and 86.9% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 63.3, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Raleigh County, letting you compare 25865 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 →

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 25865, Lester, 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

1,475

Population

65.8

Area (sq mi)

22

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 25865?

63.3

Median Age

47.7%

Male

52.3%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 97.2%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.5%
Hispanic or Latino 0.1%

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?

$38,173

Median Household Income

-34% vs state

$25,485

Per Capita Income

26.1%

Poverty Rate

1.2%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 25865 ranks nationally

Lester, WV household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$38,173 5th percentile higher than 5% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 72.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

972

Total Housing Units

747

Occupied Units

225

Vacant Units

2.11

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.9%
Renter 13.1%

$170,000

Median Home Value

+23% vs state

$975

Median Rent

1989

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 6 business establishments in ZIP 25865, employing approximately 24 people with a combined annual payroll of $326,000.

6

Businesses

24

Employees

$326K

Annual Payroll

0

Industry Sectors

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 25865 vs 25920 →

ZIP 25865 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 25865 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 25865 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 25865 ranks #2 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
25920 Slab Fork, WV 221 2.8 mi
25932 Surveyor, WV 339 3.1 mi
25849 Glen White, WV 266 3.8 mi
25817 Bolt, WV 784 3.8 mi
25839 Fairdale, WV 691 4.4 mi
25848 Glen Rogers, WV 443 4.8 mi
25921 Sophia, WV 2,157 4.4 mi
25827 Crab Orchard, WV 2,488 5.3 mi
25844 Glen Daniel, WV 1,417 6.1 mi
25853 Helen, WV 182 6.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Raleigh County

25801 standard
Beckley, WV
Pop: 33,590
25813 standard
Beaver, WV
Pop: 8,063
25880 standard
Mount Hope, WV
Pop: 6,928
25918 standard
Shady Spring, WV
Pop: 4,430
25832 standard
Daniels, WV
Pop: 3,994
25827 standard
Crab Orchard, WV
Pop: 2,488

Related Areas

Raleigh County Lester, WV West Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 25865 in? ▼
ZIP code 25865 (Lester) is located in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Raleigh County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/raleigh-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 25865? ▼
ZIP code 25865 in Lester, WV has a population of 1,475 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 25865? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 25865 is $38,173, which is 50% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 25865? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 25865 is $170,000, which is 39% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 25865? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 25865 is White at 97.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 25865? ▼
ZIP code 25865 has 6 business establishments employing approximately 24 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 25865? ▼
In ZIP code 25865, 72.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 25865? ▼
In ZIP code 25865, approximately 86.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 25865? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 25865 is 26.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.