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Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area: population growth, jobs and income

The Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area lost 1,090 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.3%).

The Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area had an estimated 365,965 residents in 2025, down 2.6% (9,748 fewer people) since 2020.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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Headline numbers

Population, migration, employment, permits, unemployment and income are the figures each agency publishes for the area itself (OMB Bulletin 23-01 delineation; ACS 2016-20 and CBP 2018 use the delineation of their year). IRS migration is the sum of the member counties.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 816 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 116,763 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +5.7% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.8% in 2025, 0.3 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 309 new homes in 2025, or 0.8 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $60,078 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +24.9% since 2016–20.

Population growth over five years ranks 9th of 9 Kentucky metro areas, 13th of 15 Ohio metro areas, 6th of 10 West Virginia metro areas and 349th of 362 U.S. metro areas.

IRS tax-return data for 2022-2023 show a net gain of 336 people (the sum of its counties).

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How it ranks

MeasureAmong U.S. metro areas
Population growth349th of 362
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents141st of 362
Private-sector job growth137th of 352
Median household income324th of 362
Lowest unemployment rate280th of 362
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents342nd of 362

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment), against areas with a figure for the same period.

Fastest-growing metro areas in Kentucky · Fastest-growing metro areas in Ohio · Fastest-growing metro areas in West Virginia · Fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Cabell County, WV, the principal county of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH area, as a PDF: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Counties in this metro area

Cabell County, WV led the change: of the 9,748 residents the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area lost from 2020 to 2025 (the sum of its counties), it lost 3,062 (31%).

The 8 counties of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area: Census population estimates
CountyRoleResidents2025Share of residents2025Change2020–2025Share of the change2020–2025
Cabell County, WVCentral91,18324.9%−3,062 (−3.2%)31%
Putnam County, WVCentral56,88515.5%−556 (−1.0%)6%
Lawrence County, OHCentral55,71015.2%−2,436 (−4.2%)25%
Boyd County, KYCentral47,75113.0%−458 (−1.0%)5%
Wayne County, WVCentral37,30910.2%−1,564 (−4.0%)16%
Greenup County, KYCentral35,2139.6%−672 (−1.9%)7%
Carter County, KYOutlying26,1497.1%−465 (−1.7%)5%
Lawrence County, KYOutlying15,7654.3%−535 (−3.3%)5%

Census Bureau population estimates (July 1). Shares are of the member counties' total; a share of the change shows only when every county moved the same way. – means no figure for the common period.

All Kentucky counties · All Ohio counties · All West Virginia counties

Nearby and similar metro areas

Next to this metro area

Similar in size

Questions

Is the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area growing?

No. Its population fell 2.6% between 2020 and 2025, about 9,748 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates).

Which county in the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area is growing fastest?

None of its 8 member counties grew between 2020 and 2025. Boyd County, KY came closest (−1.0%; Census Bureau population estimates).

How many people moved to the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area?

On net, about 816 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area?

It averaged 4.8% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area?

About 365,965 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

Cabell County data alerts

Email me when Cabell County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Cabell County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.