PlainZIP

Morgantown, WV · standard

ZIP Code 26505

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

38,772
1,140/sq mi
$45,536
Median income
$278,000
Median home value
55.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Morgantown pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

10th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 37%
home value, US ZIPs
1,140
people per sq mi
33%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 26505 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 26505 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia, with 38,772 residents across 34.0 square miles, a density of 1,140 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 26505 reports a modest median household income of $45,536 (21% below the West Virginia average), while per-capita income is $34,074. Poverty here runs at 31.1%, with unemployment measured at 5.4%. The typical home here is valued at $278,000 (101% above the state average); renters pay a median of $981 monthly, and 32.5% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 55.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 25.2, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Monongalia County, so you can benchmark 26505 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 26505

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Morgantown, WV

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 26505.

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 26505, Morgantown, 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

38,772

Population

34.0

Area (sq mi)

1,140

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 26505?

25.2

Median Age

50.6%

Male

49.4%

Female

9.7%

Foreign-Born

White 82.7%
African American 4.0%
Asian 5.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%

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?

$45,536

Median Household Income

-21% vs state

$34,074

Per Capita Income

31.1%

Poverty Rate

5.4%

Unemployment Rate

16.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 26505 ranks nationally

Morgantown, WV household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$45,536 10th percentile higher than 10% 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 74.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 55.3%

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

What does housing look like?

18,730

Total Housing Units

16,251

Occupied Units

2,479

Vacant Units

2.04

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 32.5%
Renter 67.5%

$278,000

Median Home Value

+101% vs state

$981

Median Rent

1984

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

+10.1%

YoY Change (2024)

251

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+151%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 26505 have increased 10.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +151% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.5% 192
2021 +7.2% 206
2022 +9.4% 225
2023 +1.2% 228
2024 +10.1% 251

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 1,000 business establishments in ZIP 26505, employing approximately 16,488 people with a combined annual payroll of $876,797,000.

1,000

Businesses

16,488

Employees

$876.8M

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 187 18.7%
Retail trade 152 15.2%
Health care and social assistance 138 13.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 100 10.0%
Other services (except public administration) 89 8.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 79 7.9%
Finance and insurance 64 6.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 37 3.7%
Construction 35 3.5%
Information 23 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 22 2.2%
Wholesale trade 20 2.0%
Educational services 12 1.2%
Transportation and warehousing 11 1.1%
Manufacturing 10 1.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 10 1.0%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 5 0.5%
Utilities 5 0.5%

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 26505 vs 26534 →

ZIP 26505 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 26505 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 26505 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 26505 ranks #8 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
26534 Granville, WV 789 2.8 mi
26543 Osage, WV 252 3.3 mi
26508 Morgantown, WV 29,170 4.3 mi
26501 Morgantown, WV 19,616 5.4 mi
15327 Dilliner, PA 1,527 6.9 mi
15474 Point Marion, PA 2,049 7.2 mi
15315 Bobtown, PA 776 7.7 mi
15467 New Geneva, PA 141 9.4 mi
26541 Maidsville, WV 2,624 7.3 mi
15451 Lake Lynn, PA 955 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Monongalia County

26508 standard
Morgantown, WV
Pop: 29,170
26501 standard
Morgantown, WV
Pop: 19,616
26570 standard
Fairview, WV
Pop: 3,595
26541 standard
Maidsville, WV
Pop: 2,624
26590 standard
Wana, WV
Pop: 791
26534 standard
Granville, WV
Pop: 789

Related Areas

Monongalia County Morgantown, WV West Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 26505 in? ▼
ZIP code 26505 (Morgantown) is located in Monongalia County, West Virginia. Monongalia County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/monongalia-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 26505? ▼
ZIP code 26505 in Morgantown, WV has a population of 38,772 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26505? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 26505 is $45,536, which is 40% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26505? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 26505 is $278,000, which is 0% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26505? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 26505 is White at 82.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26505? ▼
ZIP code 26505 has 1,000 business establishments employing approximately 16,488 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 26505? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 26505 are: Accommodation and food services (187), Retail trade (152), Health care and social assistance (138). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 26505? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 26505 increased by 10.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 151%. 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 26505? ▼
In ZIP code 26505, 74.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 55.3% 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 26505? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 26505 is 16.8 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 26505? ▼
In ZIP code 26505, approximately 32.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 67.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26505? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26505 is 31.1% 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.