PlainZIP

Wheeling, WV · standard

ZIP Code 26003

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

43,002
175/sq mi
$57,703
Median income
$166,100
Median home value
34.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Wheeling pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

25th pct
household income, US ZIPs
33th pct
home value, US ZIPs
175
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 26003 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 26003 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia, with 43,002 residents across 245.4 square miles, a density of 175 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 26003 reports a modest median household income of $57,703 (0% below the West Virginia average), while per-capita income is $38,424. Local economic indicators show a 17.0% poverty rate alongside 5.9% unemployment. Median home value sits at $166,100 (20% above the state average), median rent at $818 a month, and owner-occupancy at 67.5%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.7, and the average commute is 21 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 26003, plus 3 more within Ohio County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 26003

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wheeling, WV

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 26003.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 26003, Wheeling, 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

43,002

Population

245.4

Area (sq mi)

175

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 26003?

44.7

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 90.1%
African American 3.3%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%

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?

$57,703

Median Household Income

-0% vs state

$38,424

Per Capita Income

17.0%

Poverty Rate

5.9%

Unemployment Rate

20.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 26003 ranks nationally

Wheeling, WV household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$57,703 25th percentile higher than 25% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $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 65.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.0%

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

What does housing look like?

20,670

Total Housing Units

18,151

Occupied Units

2,519

Vacant Units

2.14

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.5%
Renter 32.5%

$166,100

Median Home Value

+20% vs state

$818

Median Rent

1956

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

+4.2%

YoY Change (2024)

194

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+94%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 26003 have increased 4.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +94% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.9% 154
2021 +4.3% 161
2022 +11.8% 180
2023 +3.1% 186
2024 +4.2% 194

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 1,181 business establishments in ZIP 26003, employing approximately 19,157 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,033,460,000.

1,181

Businesses

19,157

Employees

$1.0B

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 225 19.1%
Other services (except public administration) 160 13.6%
Retail trade 142 12.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 135 11.4%
Accommodation and food services 107 9.1%
Finance and insurance 66 5.6%
Construction 59 5.0%
Wholesale trade 52 4.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 49 4.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 47 4.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 35 3.0%
Manufacturing 30 2.5%
Information 17 1.4%
Educational services 17 1.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 16 1.4%
Transportation and warehousing 15 1.3%
Utilities 5 0.4%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 3 0.3%

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 26003 vs 26059 →

ZIP 26003 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 26003 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 26003 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 26003 ranks #3 of 9 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
26059 Triadelphia, WV 3,082 3.1 mi
26075 Windsor Heights, WV 505 8.4 mi
26060 Valley Grove, WV 1,881 5.8 mi
26031 Benwood, WV 1,755 5.9 mi
43934 Lansing, OH 295 7.4 mi
43963 Tiltonsville, OH 1,362 7.2 mi
26074 West Liberty, WV 1,184 6.8 mi
43971 Yorkville, OH 1,150 6.7 mi
43935 Martins Ferry, OH 8,943 6.4 mi
26040 Mcmechen, WV 2,103 7.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Ohio County

26059 standard
Triadelphia, WV
Pop: 3,082
26060 standard
Valley Grove, WV
Pop: 1,881
26074 standard
West Liberty, WV
Pop: 1,184

Related Areas

Ohio County Wheeling, WV West Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 26003 in? ▼
ZIP code 26003 (Wheeling) is located in Ohio County, West Virginia. Ohio County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ohio-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 26003? ▼
ZIP code 26003 in Wheeling, WV has a population of 43,002 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26003? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 26003 is $57,703, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26003? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 26003 is $166,100, which is 40% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26003? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 26003 is White at 90.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26003? ▼
ZIP code 26003 has 1,181 business establishments employing approximately 19,157 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 26003? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 26003 are: Health care and social assistance (225), Other services (except public administration) (160), Retail trade (142). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 26003? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 26003 increased by 4.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 94%. 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 26003? ▼
In ZIP code 26003, 65.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.0% 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 26003? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 26003 is 20.8 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 26003? ▼
In ZIP code 26003, approximately 67.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26003? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26003 is 17.0% 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.