The Town Files

Ritchie County, West Virginia

8,286 people. The median home is worth $115,900 (typical West Virginia town: $125,000) and the median household earns $50,582.

Towns in Ritchie County

Towns in Ritchie County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Harrisville1,631$123,000$47,76842.9
Pennsboro1,054$86,500$51,32732.9

People and housing

Ritchie CountyTypical West Virginia town
Median home value$115,900$125,000
Median rent$579$811
Median household income$50,582$52,093
Median age46.143.6
Bachelor's degree or higher14.4%18.6%
Below the poverty line21.6%18.6%

Jobs and pay

3,008 jobs in 2024, average pay $51,970 a year.

Largest industries in Ritchie CountyManufacturing721 jobs · $53,566Retail307 jobs · $29,697Construction142 jobs · $68,351Professional & technical serv…126 jobs · $61,303Transportation & warehousing75 jobs · $67,626Utilities22 jobs · $97,452
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Ritchie County0%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023 4.3%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 418 storm events in Ritchie County from 1996 to 2026, with 5 deaths.

Storm events in Ritchie County by type since 1996Hail26Heat11Flood17Drought16High Wind11Heavy Snow37Flash Flood47Strong Wind19Excessive Heat8Winter Weather27
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Ritchie County has been included in 21 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 3, 2026FloodDR-4932: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3639: Severe Winter Storm
April 3, 2020BiologicalDR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3450: Covid-19
April 17, 2018Mud/LandslideDR-4359: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
May 18, 2015FloodDR-4220: Severe Storms, 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).