PlainZIP

Smithville, WV · standard

ZIP Code 26178

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

587
6/sq mi
$35,139
Median income
$137,500
Median home value
0.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Smithville pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
22th pct
home value, US ZIPs
6
people per sq mi
42%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 26178 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 26178 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Smithville, Ritchie County, West Virginia, home to just 587 residents across 106.7 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 26178 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $35,139 (39% below the West Virginia average), while per-capita income is $18,176. 17.9% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 0.0%. Median home value sits at $137,500 (0% below the state average), median rent at - a month, and owner-occupancy at 41.7%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 0.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.9, and the average commute is -. To put 26178 in local context, 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Ritchie County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 26178, Smithville, 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

587

Population

106.7

Area (sq mi)

6

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 26178?

44.9

Median Age

65.8%

Male

34.2%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 100.0%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.0%
Hispanic or Latino 18.5%

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?

$35,139

Median Household Income

-39% vs state

$18,176

Per Capita Income

17.9%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 26178 ranks nationally

Smithville, WV household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$35,139 3rd percentile higher than 3% 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 42.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 0.0%

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

What does housing look like?

225

Total Housing Units

115

Occupied Units

110

Vacant Units

1.60

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 41.7%
Renter 58.3%

$137,500

Median Home Value

-0% vs state

1945

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 8 business establishments in ZIP 26178, employing approximately 28 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,272,000.

8

Businesses

28

Employees

$1.3M

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 26178 vs 26137 →

ZIP 26178 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 26178 ranks #4 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 26178 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 26178 ranks #5 of 6 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
26137 Big Springs, WV 939 3.7 mi
26362 Harrisville, WV 3,378 6.4 mi
26148 Macfarlan, WV 245 8.0 mi
26327 Berea, WV 83 6.8 mi
26136 Big Bend, WV 644 8.3 mi
26421 Pullman, WV 262 10.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Ritchie County

26415 standard
Pennsboro, WV
Pop: 4,016
26362 standard
Harrisville, WV
Pop: 3,378
26337 standard
Cairo, WV
Pop: 1,218
26346 standard
Ellenboro, WV
Pop: 972
26161 standard
Petroleum, WV
Pop: 480
26325 standard
Auburn, WV
Pop: 320

Related Areas

Ritchie County Smithville, WV West Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 26178 in? ▼
ZIP code 26178 (Smithville) is located in Ritchie County, West Virginia. Ritchie County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ritchie-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 26178? ▼
ZIP code 26178 in Smithville, WV has a population of 587 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26178? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 26178 is $35,139, which is 54% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26178? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 26178 is $137,500, which is 51% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26178? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 26178 is White at 100.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 18.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26178? ▼
ZIP code 26178 has 8 business establishments employing approximately 28 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 26178? ▼
In ZIP code 26178, approximately 41.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 58.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26178? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26178 is 17.9% 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.