Independence, WV · standard
ZIP Code 26374
Preston County, West Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,375
- 16/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $57,321
- Median income Below-median income area
- $162,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 33.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Independence pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 25th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 31st pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 16
- people per sq mi
- 88%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 26374 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 26374 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Independence, Preston County, West Virginia, home to just 1,375 residents across 84.4 square miles, a density of 16 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 26374 reports a modest median household income of $57,321 (1% below the average West Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,487. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 2.6% and unemployment is 0.0%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $162,300 (18% above the average West Virginia ZIP), while 87.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $634.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.5, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Preston County, so 26374 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 →
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 26374, Independence, 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
1,375
Population
84.4
Area (sq mi)
16
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 26374?
41.5
Median Age
42.7%
Male
57.3%
Female
0.5%
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?
$57,321
Median Household Income
-1% vs state ZIP avg
$34,487
Per Capita Income
2.6%
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 26374 ranks among West Virginia ZIPs
Independence, 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)
$57,321 Top 45% higher than 55% 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
677housing units
677
Total Housing Units
650
Occupied Units
27
Vacant Units
2.58
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$162,300
Median Home Value
+18% vs state ZIP avg
$634
Median Rent
1983
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 13 business establishments in ZIP 26374, employing approximately 37 people with a combined annual payroll of $822,000.
13
Businesses
37
Employees
$822K
Annual Payroll
2
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 5 | 38.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 30.8% |
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 26374 vs 26410 →
ZIP 26374 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 26508
Morgantown (26508)
29,170 residents
- 26444 3,639
Tunnelton (26444)
3,639 residents
- 26542 2,547
Masontown (26542)
2,547 residents
- 26547 2,376
Reedsville (26547)
2,376 residents
- 26374 1,375
Independence (26374)
1,375 residents
- 26440 1,135
Thornton (26440)
1,135 residents
- 26410 1,037
Newburg (26410)
1,037 residents
- 26520 778
Arthurdale (26520)
778 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 26374 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 26374 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 26440
Thornton (26440)
$92,824 median income
- 26508
Morgantown (26508)
$90,041 median income
- 26547
Reedsville (26547)
$76,084 median income
- 26374
Independence (26374)
$57,321 median income
- 26542
Masontown (26542)
$54,375 median income
- 26410
Newburg (26410)
$50,607 median income
- 26444
Tunnelton (26444)
$44,004 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 26374 ranks #4 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 26374, 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 (1,375 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Preston County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 26374 in?
ZIP code 26374 (Independence) is located in Preston County, West Virginia. Preston County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/preston-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 26374?
ZIP code 26374 in Independence, WV has a population of 1,375 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26374?
The median household income in ZIP 26374 is $57,321, which is 25% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26374?
The median home value in ZIP 26374 is $162,300, which is 42% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26374?
The largest racial group in ZIP 26374 is White at 96.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26374?
ZIP code 26374 has 13 business establishments employing approximately 37 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 26374?
In ZIP code 26374, 78.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.4% 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 26374?
In ZIP code 26374, approximately 87.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26374?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26374 is 2.6% 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 26374's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 26374 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Independence, 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.