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Jackson County, WV: population growth, jobs and income

Jackson County lost 46 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.2%).

Jackson County had an estimated 27,450 residents in 2025, down 1.0% (273 fewer people) since 2020. That is faster than West Virginia as a whole (−1.4%), and the 14th fastest growth of 55 counties in West Virginia.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Jackson County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Jackson County, ranked against West Virginia and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$716/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes10.5%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months02025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 68 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 6,630 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −5.7% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 5.6% in 2025, 0.4 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 0 new homes in 2025, or 0.0 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $58,845 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +19.8% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,182nd.

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Jackson County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202527,450−46
202427,496−109
202327,605−9
202227,614−177
202127,791+68
202027,723–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Jackson County

Jackson County lost 273 people since 2020 even though 323 more people moved in from other U.S. counties than left: deaths outnumbered births by 834, and net international migration added 240.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−169−834
International migrationfrom and to other countries+54+240
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+68+323
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+1−2
Total change−46−273

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn West VirginiaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth14th of 552,182nd of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents18th of 551,481st of 3,108
Private-sector job growth40th of 552,537th of 3,092
Median household income19th of 552,163rd of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate47th of 552,799th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents53rd of 542,773rd of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Jackson County, WV as a PDF, from federal data: 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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Neighbouring counties

Jackson County tied with Putnam County for the strongest population change among its neighbouring counties (−1.0%, 2020–25).

2 of its 7 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Jackson County's $58,845 (2020–24).

Jackson County, WV and its 7 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Jackson County, WV This county27,450−1.0%2.50.0$58,845
Mason County, WV24,707−2.7%2.10.3$49,761
Roane County, WV13,317−4.8%−3.51.6$45,778
Wirt County, WV4,879−5.9%0.62.5$49,867
Putnam County, WV56,885−1.0%2.32.1$79,527
Meigs County, OH21,587−2.6%7.00.0$46,873
Wood County, WV82,385−2.1%0.91.1$57,810
Kanawha County, WV172,381−4.3%−0.70.6$60,943

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 55 West Virginia counties · Every state

Questions

Is Jackson County growing?

No. Its population fell 1.0% between 2020 and 2025, about 273 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). West Virginia as a whole changed −1.4% over the same years. That ranks 14th of 55 counties in West Virginia for population growth.

How many people moved to Jackson County?

On net, about 68 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 Jackson County?

It averaged 5.6% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Jackson County?

About 27,450 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Jackson County?

Private employers there had 6,630 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −5.7% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in West Virginia

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other West Virginia county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Jackson County data alerts

Email me when Jackson 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 Jackson 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.