PlainZIP

Richwood, WV · standard

ZIP Code 26261

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

2,701
11/sq mi
$33,750
Median income
$74,700
Median home value
15.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
3th pct
home value, US ZIPs
11
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 26261 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 26261 covers 254.8 square miles in Richwood, Nicholas County, West Virginia (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,701 residents on file, a density of 11 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 26261 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $33,750 (42% below the West Virginia average), while per-capita income is $33,049. Local economic indicators show a 24.0% poverty rate alongside 13.0% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $74,700 (46% below the state average) with median rent at $677 per month, and 84.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.6, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 4 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Nicholas County, letting you compare 26261 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 26261

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Richwood, WV

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 26261.

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 26261, Richwood, 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

2,701

Population

254.8

Area (sq mi)

11

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 26261?

46.6

Median Age

46.2%

Male

53.8%

Female

0.7%

Foreign-Born

White 98.9%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.6%
Hispanic or Latino 0.5%

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?

$33,750

Median Household Income

-42% vs state

$33,049

Per Capita Income

24.0%

Poverty Rate

13.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 26261 ranks nationally

Richwood, WV household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$33,750 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 59.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.6%

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

What does housing look like?

1,589

Total Housing Units

1,036

Occupied Units

553

Vacant Units

2.62

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.6%
Renter 15.4%

$74,700

Median Home Value

-46% vs state

$677

Median Rent

1953

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 33 business establishments in ZIP 26261, employing approximately 235 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,306,000.

33

Businesses

235

Employees

$6.3M

Annual Payroll

4

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 8 24.2%
Other services (except public administration) 6 18.2%
Retail trade 5 15.2%
Health care and social assistance 3 9.1%

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 26261 vs 26202 →

ZIP 26261 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 26261 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 26261 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 26261 ranks #4 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
26202 Fenwick, WV 641 4.2 mi
26676 Leivasy, WV 435 6.9 mi
26208 Camden On Gauley, WV 973 9.7 mi
26205 Craigsville, WV 3,690 10.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Nicholas County

26651 standard
Summersville, WV
Pop: 9,650
26205 standard
Craigsville, WV
Pop: 3,690
26679 standard
Mount Nebo, WV
Pop: 1,896
26681 standard
Nettie, WV
Pop: 1,486
26678 standard
Mount Lookout, WV
Pop: 1,247
26662 standard
Canvas, WV
Pop: 1,154

Related Areas

Nicholas County Richwood, WV West Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 26261 in? ▼
ZIP code 26261 (Richwood) is located in Nicholas County, West Virginia. Nicholas County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/nicholas-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 26261? ▼
ZIP code 26261 in Richwood, WV has a population of 2,701 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26261? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 26261 is $33,750, which is 56% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26261? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 26261 is $74,700, which is 73% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26261? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 26261 is White at 98.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26261? ▼
ZIP code 26261 has 33 business establishments employing approximately 235 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 26261? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 26261 are: Accommodation and food services (8), Other services (except public administration) (6), Retail trade (5). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 26261? ▼
In ZIP code 26261, 59.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.6% 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 26261? ▼
In ZIP code 26261, approximately 84.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26261? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26261 is 24.0% 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.