The Town Files

Mercer County, West Virginia

58,563 people. The median home is worth $121,700 (typical West Virginia town: $125,000) and the median household earns $53,210.

Towns in Mercer County

Towns in Mercer County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Bluefield9,658$105,400$49,37545.0
Princeton5,872$120,300$43,90044.2

People and housing

Mercer CountyTypical West Virginia town
Median home value$121,700$125,000
Median rent$810$811
Median household income$53,210$52,093
Median age43.543.6
Bachelor's degree or higher22.9%18.6%
Below the poverty line16.5%18.6%

Jobs and pay

19,314 jobs in 2024, average pay $50,193 a year.

Largest industries in Mercer CountyHealth care & social assistan…4,600 jobs · $55,208Retail2,822 jobs · $37,077Hotels & restaurants2,050 jobs · $20,897Manufacturing936 jobs · $60,321Administrative & support823 jobs · $47,361Construction734 jobs · $57,554
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Mercer County0%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023 4.4%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 498 storm events in Mercer County from 1996 to 2026, with 3 deaths.

Storm events in Mercer County by type since 1996Hail83Flood36Drought17High Wind34Ice Storm8Heavy Rain22Heavy Snow38Debris Flow7Flash Flood77Winter Storm37
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Mercer County has been included in 27 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3639: Severe Winter Storm
February 26, 2025Severe StormDR-4861: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
December 9, 2024Tropical StormDR-4851: Post-Tropical Storm Helene
April 3, 2020BiologicalDR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3450: Covid-19
March 31, 2015Severe StormDR-4210: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).