ZIP Code 25186 — Smithers city, WV Demographics & Data

ZIP code 25186 covers Smithers, WV in Fayette County with a population of about 925.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 51.8 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 304, 681; U.S. House district WV-1; the BLUEFIELD - BECKLEY - OAK HILL media market.

Smithers, WV fits a retirement-oriented profile (high share of residents 65+ (37.7%)). Residents and relocators commonly research healthcare access, everyday amenities (dining, personal services), and housing costs rather than tech or campus life.

Median household income in ZIP 25186 is about $33,650 — about 55% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 34.6%; unemployment rate near 5.2%; 23.1% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 10.6 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Public administration, Construction, and Food services; about 42.1% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 26.9 points above the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 158.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $73,400 — about 79% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show owner-occupancy near 60.9% (about 4.5 points below the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 25186 in Smithers, WV, a household would need roughly $20,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $472. That sits below the local median household income ($33,650), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Smithers city, WV as Relatively Low (composite score 53.4), which is near the middle of the national distribution. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (72.9) and wildfire (49.5). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Smithers city, WV show little to no average snow and around 46.4 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 34 for ZIP 25186 (Smithers city, WV) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.