Sophia, WV · standard
ZIP Code 25921
Raleigh County, West Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,157
- 52/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $35,451
- Median income Below-median income area
- $105,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 9.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sophia pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 3rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 12th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 52
- people per sq mi
- 53%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 25921 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 25921 covers 41.6 square miles in Sophia, Raleigh County, West Virginia (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,157 residents on file, a density of 52 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 25921 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $35,451 (39% below the average West Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $28,218. Economic pressure is pronounced: 41.5% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 10.6%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $105,800 (23% below the average West Virginia ZIP), and median rent is $806; owner occupancy is 52.7%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 9.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.9, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Raleigh County, so 25921 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 25921
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sophia, WV
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 25921.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
14 establishments
- Construction 5
Construction
5 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 5
Health care and social assistance
5 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 5
Accommodation and food services
5 establishments
- Wholesale trade 4
Wholesale trade
4 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 25921, Sophia, 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
2,157
Population
41.6
Area (sq mi)
52
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 25921?
45.9
Median Age
45.0%
Male
55.0%
Female
4.9%
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?
$35,451
Median Household Income
-39% vs state ZIP avg
$28,218
Per Capita Income
41.5%
Poverty Rate
10.6%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 25921 ranks among West Virginia ZIPs
Sophia, WV household income vs. every West Virginia ZIP code
Median household income among 539 reporting West Virginia ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$35,451 12th percentile higher than 12% of 539 West Virginia ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more West Virginia 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
1,213housing units
1,213
Total Housing Units
897
Occupied Units
316
Vacant Units
2.22
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$105,800
Median Home Value
-23% vs state ZIP avg
$806
Median Rent
1974
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 55 business establishments in ZIP 25921, employing approximately 867 people with a combined annual payroll of $53,602,000.
55
Businesses
867
Employees
$53.6M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 14 | 25.4% |
| Construction | 5 | 9.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 9.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 5 | 9.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 7.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 5.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 5.5% |
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 25921 vs 25853 →
ZIP 25921 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 25823
Coal City (25823)
2,176 residents
- 25921
Sophia (25921)
2,157 residents
- 25865
Lester (25865)
1,475 residents
- 25932 339
Surveyor (25932)
339 residents
- 25915 311
Rhodell (25915)
311 residents
- 25857 308
Josephine (25857)
308 residents
- 25849 266
Glen White (25849)
266 residents
- 25810 261
Allen Junction (25810)
261 residents
- 25920 221
Slab Fork (25920)
221 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 25921 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 25921 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 25915
Rhodell (25915)
$39,292 median income
- 25865
Lester (25865)
$38,173 median income
- 25921
Sophia (25921)
$35,451 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 25921 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25853 | Helen, WV | 182 | 2.3 mi |
| 25920 | Slab Fork, WV | 221 | 1.8 mi |
| 25908 | Princewick, WV | 172 | 2.9 mi |
| 25932 | Surveyor, WV | 339 | 6.0 mi |
| 25849 | Glen White, WV | 266 | 4.4 mi |
| 25915 | Rhodell, WV | 311 | 5.1 mi |
| 25865 | Lester, WV | 1,475 | 4.4 mi |
| 25857 | Josephine, WV | 308 | 4.2 mi |
| 25810 | Allen Junction, WV | 261 | 5.1 mi |
| 25823 | Coal City, WV | 2,176 | 6.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 25921, 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 (2,157 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Raleigh County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 25921 in?
ZIP code 25921 (Sophia) 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 25921?
ZIP code 25921 in Sophia, WV has a population of 2,157 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 25921?
The median household income in ZIP 25921 is $35,451, which is 54% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 25921?
The median home value in ZIP 25921 is $105,800, which is 62% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 25921?
The largest racial group in ZIP 25921 is White at 93.3%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 25921?
ZIP code 25921 has 55 business establishments employing approximately 867 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 25921?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 25921 are: Retail trade (14), Construction (5), Health care and social assistance (5). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 25921?
In ZIP code 25921, 50.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 9.5% 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 25921?
In ZIP code 25921, approximately 52.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 47.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 25921?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 25921 is 41.5% 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 25921's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 25921 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sophia, 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.