ZIP Code 26542

standard

Source:

Masontown · Preston County · West Virginia

Population
2,547

27/sq mi

Median income
$54,375

▼ 29% vs US

higher than 20% of US ZIPs

Median home value
$152,000

▼ 45% vs US

higher than 26% of US ZIPs

Bachelor's or higher
19.4%

Median age 44.8

Land area
93.3 sq mi

New York

ZIP code 26542 in Masontown, West Virginia has a population of 2,547. The median household income is $54,375, which is 29% below the national average. Median home value is $152,000, 45% below the US average. 19.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

ZIP code 26542 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 93.3 square miles in Masontown, Preston County, West Virginia. The area is home to 2,547 residents, producing a population density of 27 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 26542 against West Virginia and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 26542 sits at $54,375 (6% below the West Virginia average), while per-capita income is $26,563. The poverty rate stands at 15.8% and the unemployment rate at 4.7%. On housing, the median home value is $152,000 (10% above the state average) with median rent at $883 per month, and 86.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 26542 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 19.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.8, and the average commute is . We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Preston County, so you can benchmark 26542 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 26542

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 26542.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 26542, Masontown, WV · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

2,547

Population

93.3

Area (sq mi)

27

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 26542?

44.8

Median Age

55.5%

Male

44.5%

Female

0.8%

Foreign-Born

White 95.8%
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 4.2%
Hispanic or Latino 0.8%

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?

$54,375

Median Household Income

-6% vs state

$26,563

Per Capita Income

15.8%

Poverty Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

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

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 67.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.4%

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

What does housing look like?

967

Total Housing Units

890

Occupied Units

77

Vacant Units

2.32

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.3%
Renter 13.7%

$152,000

Median Home Value

+10% vs state

$883

Median Rent

1982

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 49 business establishments in ZIP 26542, employing approximately 284 people with a combined annual payroll of $12,198,000.

49

Businesses

284

Employees

$12.2M

Annual Payroll

7

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 9 18.4%
Construction 7 14.3%
Transportation and warehousing 5 10.2%
Health care and social assistance 5 10.2%
Other services (except public administration) 5 10.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 8.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 6.1%

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 26542 vs 26547 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
26547 Reedsville, WV 2,376 4.3 mi
26520 Arthurdale, WV 778 5.5 mi
26508 Morgantown, WV 29,170 5.9 mi
26537 Kingwood, WV 5,721 7.2 mi
26374 Independence, WV 1,375 9.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Preston County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 26542 in?
ZIP code 26542 (Masontown) 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 26542?
ZIP code 26542 in Masontown, WV has a population of 2,547 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26542?
The median household income in ZIP 26542 is $54,375, which is 29% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26542?
The median home value in ZIP 26542 is $152,000, which is 45% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26542?
The largest racial group in ZIP 26542 is White at 95.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26542?
ZIP code 26542 has 49 business establishments employing approximately 284 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 26542?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 26542 are: Retail trade (9), Construction (7), Transportation and warehousing (5). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 26542?
In ZIP code 26542, 67.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.4% 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 26542?
In ZIP code 26542, approximately 86.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26542?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26542 is 15.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Masontown, WV

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023). Business data: Source: Census ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023. Home value trends: Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI), Five-Digit ZIP Codes.

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