Birch River, WV · standard
ZIP Code 26610
Nicholas County, West Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,090
- 8/sq mi Low-density area
- $37,165
- Median income Below-median income area
- $84,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 16.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Birch River pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 4th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 5th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 8
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 26610 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 26610 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Birch River, Nicholas County, West Virginia, home to just 1,090 residents across 145.3 square miles, a density of 8 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 26610 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $37,165 (36% below the average West Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $24,601. Unemployment is 10.3%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $84,300 (39% below the average West Virginia ZIP), and median rent is $825; owner occupancy is 79.2%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 59.2, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Nicholas County, so 26610 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 →
Top industries in ZIP 26610
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Birch River, WV
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 26610.
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
3 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
3 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
3 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
3 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 26610, Birch River, 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
1,090
Population
145.3
Area (sq mi)
8
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 26610?
59.2
Median Age
45.0%
Male
55.0%
Female
0.0%
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?
$37,165
Median Household Income
-36% vs state ZIP avg
$24,601
Per Capita Income
12.0%
Poverty Rate
10.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 26610 ranks among West Virginia ZIPs
Birch River, 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)
$37,165 14th percentile higher than 14% 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
548housing units
548
Total Housing Units
395
Occupied Units
153
Vacant Units
1.83
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$84,300
Median Home Value
-39% vs state ZIP avg
$825
Median Rent
1986
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 17 business establishments in ZIP 26610, employing approximately 85 people with a combined annual payroll of $4,035,000.
17
Businesses
85
Employees
$4.0M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 17.6% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 17.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 17.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 17.6% |
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 26610 vs 26617 →
ZIP 26610 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 26601
Sutton (26601)
4,898 residents
- 26610 1,090
Birch River (26610)
1,090 residents
- 26691 417
Tioga (26691)
417 residents
- 26629 309
Little Birch (26629)
309 residents
- 26660 255
Calvin (26660)
255 residents
- 26617 187
Dille (26617)
187 residents
- 25211 135
Widen (25211)
135 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 26610 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 26610 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 26691
Tioga (26691)
$85,420 median income
- 26617
Dille (26617)
$56,250 median income
- 26601
Sutton (26601)
$50,469 median income
- 26610
Birch River (26610)
$37,165 median income
- 25211 $19,659
Widen (25211)
$19,659 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 26610 ranks #4 of 5 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 26610, 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 (1,090 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Nicholas County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 26610 in?
ZIP code 26610 (Birch River) 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 26610?
ZIP code 26610 in Birch River, WV has a population of 1,090 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26610?
The median household income in ZIP 26610 is $37,165, which is 51% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26610?
The median home value in ZIP 26610 is $84,300, which is 70% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26610?
The largest racial group in ZIP 26610 is White at 91.4%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26610?
ZIP code 26610 has 17 business establishments employing approximately 85 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 26610?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 26610 are: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (3), Retail trade (3), Transportation and warehousing (3). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 26610?
In ZIP code 26610, 66.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.7% 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 26610?
In ZIP code 26610, approximately 79.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26610?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26610 is 12.0% 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 26610's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 26610 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Birch River, 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.