PlainZIP

Cowen, WV · standard

ZIP Code 26206

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

2,976
16/sq mi
$44,042
Median income
$78,400
Median home value
8.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Cowen pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
4th pct
home value, US ZIPs
16
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 26206 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 26206 covers 190.8 square miles in Cowen, Webster County, West Virginia (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,976 residents on file, a density of 16 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 26206 reports a modest median household income of $44,042 (24% below the West Virginia average), while per-capita income is $23,416. 24.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.5%. The typical home here is valued at $78,400 (43% below the state average); renters pay a median of $699 monthly, and 74.8% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 8.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.2, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 5 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 26206, plus 6 more within Webster 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 26206

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cowen, WV

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 26206.

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 26206, Cowen, 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

2,976

Population

190.8

Area (sq mi)

16

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 26206?

45.2

Median Age

52.2%

Male

47.8%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 90.6%
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 9.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%

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?

$44,042

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$23,416

Per Capita Income

24.7%

Poverty Rate

7.5%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 26206 ranks nationally

Cowen, WV household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$44,042 8th percentile higher than 8% 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 62.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 8.3%

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

What does housing look like?

1,214

Total Housing Units

965

Occupied Units

249

Vacant Units

2.85

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.8%
Renter 25.2%

$78,400

Median Home Value

-43% vs state

$699

Median Rent

1976

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 31 business establishments in ZIP 26206, employing approximately 320 people with a combined annual payroll of $9,851,000.

31

Businesses

320

Employees

$9.9M

Annual Payroll

7

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 6 19.4%
Health care and social assistance 4 12.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 9.7%
Construction 3 9.7%
Finance and insurance 3 9.7%
Accommodation and food services 3 9.7%
Other services (except public administration) 3 9.7%

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 26206 vs 26266 →

ZIP 26206 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 26206 ranks #2 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 26206 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 26206 ranks #3 of 5 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
26266 Upperglade, WV 252 3.0 mi
26203 Erbacon, WV 198 7.4 mi
26208 Camden On Gauley, WV 973 7.5 mi
26691 Tioga, WV 417 7.3 mi
26205 Craigsville, WV 3,690 9.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Webster County

26288 standard
Webster Springs, WV
Pop: 3,603
26208 standard
Camden On Gauley, WV
Pop: 973
26222 standard
Hacker Valley, WV
Pop: 454
26217 standard
Diana, WV
Pop: 354
26266 standard
Upperglade, WV
Pop: 252
26203 standard
Erbacon, WV
Pop: 198

Related Areas

Webster County Cowen, WV West Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 26206 in? ▼
ZIP code 26206 (Cowen) is located in Webster County, West Virginia. Webster County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/webster-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 26206? ▼
ZIP code 26206 in Cowen, WV has a population of 2,976 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26206? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 26206 is $44,042, which is 42% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26206? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 26206 is $78,400, which is 72% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26206? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 26206 is White at 90.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26206? ▼
ZIP code 26206 has 31 business establishments employing approximately 320 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 26206? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 26206 are: Retail trade (6), Health care and social assistance (4), Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (3). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 26206? ▼
In ZIP code 26206, 62.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 8.3% 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 26206? ▼
In ZIP code 26206, approximately 74.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26206? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26206 is 24.7% 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.