Beckley is a city located in Raleigh County West Virginia. Beckley has a 2024 population of 16,362. Beckley is currently declining at a rate of -1.29% annually and its population has decreased by -4.97% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 17,218 in 2020.
The average household income in Beckley is $70,759 with a poverty rate of 27%. The median age in Beckley is 39 years: 34.4 years for males, and 43.4 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Beckley was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 12,192 | 71.81% |
| Black or African American | 2,546 | 15% |
| Two or more races | 1,682 | 9.91% |
| Asian | 498 | 2.93% |
| Other race | 54 | 0.32% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.03% |
| Native American | 0 | 0% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Native American
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 7,208 | 2.25 | 53.2 | 46.8 |
| Non Family | 3,167 | 1.15 | 48.2 | 51.8 |
| Married | 2,404 | 3.17 | 74.3 | 25.7 |
| Female | 1,290 | 3.08 | 25.8 | 74.2 |
| Male | 347 | 2.89 | 55.3 | 44.7 |
3.01
Average Family Size
2.25
Average Household Size
53.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 864 | 7.58% |
| Associates Degree | 889 | 7.79% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,788 | 15.68% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,164 | 10.21% |
| High School Graduate | 3,602 | 31.58% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 306 | 2.68% |
| Some College | 2,792 | 24.48% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 8,366 | 7,528 | 2,372 |
| Black | 1,883 | 1,638 | 117 |
| 2+ Races | 752 | 665 | 122 |
| Asian | 339 | 339 | 298 |
| Hispanic | 338 | 330 | 60 |
| Other Race | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| Islander | 5 | 5 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 87.91%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $71,154 | $83,913 | $70,426 |
| Graduate Degree | $59,930 | $127,273 | $58,102 |
| High School Graduate | $27,750 | $29,739 | $19,298 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $21,921 | $27,891 | $7,297 |
| Overall | $37,058 | $44,492 | $33,279 |
| Some College | $29,298 | $36,458 | $25,669 |
$37,058
Average Earnings
$44,492
Average Male
$33,279
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
94.7% of Beckley residents speak only English, while 5.3% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 2.82% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 11,409 | 2,696 | 23.63% |
| Black | 2,515 | 1,043 | 41.47% |
| Multiple | 1,669 | 525 | 31.46% |
| Hispanic | 467 | 119 | 25.48% |
| Other | 54 | 39 | 72.22% |
| Asian | 483 | 32 | 6.63% |
| Islander | 5 | 5 | 100% |
27%
Overall Poverty Rate
24.74%
Male Poverty Rate
29.08%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Beckley is Islander, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Beckley is Asian, with 6.63% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.99%. Among those working part-time, it was 33.5%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 39.75%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 41.5% |
| High School | 30.98% |
| Some College | 25.39% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 2.51% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 73.38% |
| Male Unemployed | 21.74% |
| Female Employed | 18.7% |
| Male Employed | 11% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $68,274 | $92,931 |
| Households | $39,939 | $70,759 |
| Married Families | $100,859 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $26,597 | $40,910 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
38.4%
Overall Marriage Rate
39.9%
Male Marriage Rate
36.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,023
Number of Veterans
948
Male Veterans
75
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 307 |
| First Gulf War | 203 |
| Second Gulf War | 191 |
| Korea | 53 |
| World War II | 7 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 308 |
| 55 to 64 | 221 |
| 35 to 54 | 220 |
| 75+ | 220 |
| 18 to 34 | 54 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 855 | 9% |
| Black | 81 | 4.04% |
| Asian | 70 | 17.77% |
| Hispanic | 36 | 10.43% |
| 2+ Races | 17 | 1.64% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
24.98%
Veteran Poverty Rate
50.15%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
50.8%
Labor Force Participation
49.4%
Employment Rate
2.7%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
68.94%
Born in Beckley
96.88%
Native Born
3.12%
Foreign Born
0.95%
Non Citizen
2.17%
Naturalized
96.88% of Beckley residents were born in the United States, with 68.94% having been born in West Virginia. 0.95% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 15,292 | -214 | -1.38% |
| 2028 | 15,506 | -214 | -1.36% |
| 2027 | 15,720 | -214 | -1.34% |
| 2026 | 15,934 | -214 | -1.33% |
| 2025 | 16,148 | -214 | -1.31% |
| 2024 | 16,362 | -214 | -1.29% |
| 2023 | 16,576 | -155 | -0.93% |
| 2022 | 16,731 | -290 | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 17,021 | -197 | -1.14% |
| 2020 | 17,218 | 1,207 | 7.54% |
| 2019 | 16,011 | -183 | -1.13% |
| 2018 | 16,194 | -228 | -1.39% |
| 2017 | 16,422 | -313 | -1.87% |
| 2016 | 16,735 | -262 | -1.54% |
| 2015 | 16,997 | -235 | -1.36% |
| 2014 | 17,232 | -212 | -1.22% |
| 2013 | 17,444 | -158 | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 17,602 | -75 | -0.42% |
| 2011 | 17,677 | 33 | 0.19% |
| 2010 | 17,644 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 17,254 | -1,042 | -5.7% |
| 1990 | 18,296 | -2,196 | -10.72% |
| 1980 | 20,492 | 608 | 3.06% |
| 1970 | 19,884 | 1,242 | 6.66% |
| 1960 | 18,642 | -755 | -3.89% |
| 1950 | 19,397 | 6,545 | 50.93% |
| 1940 | 12,852 | 3,495 | 37.35% |
| 1930 | 9,357 | 5,208 | 125.52% |
| 1920 | 4,149 | -11,143 | -72.87% |