ZIP Code 26178 — undefined, WV Demographics & Data

ZIP code 26178 covers WV in Ritchie County with a population of about 272.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 44.8 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 304, 681; U.S. House district WV-2; the CLARKSBURG - WESTON media market.

WV fits a retirement-oriented profile (high share of residents 65+ (36.8%)). 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 26178 is about $35,203 — about 53% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 12.5%; unemployment rate near 0.0%; 3.9% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 29.8 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Public administration, Retail trade, and Construction; a mean commute of about 51.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $153,100 — about 56% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show owner-occupancy near 45.1% (about 20.3 points below the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 26178 in WV, a household would need roughly $42,000 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 $983. That is about 19% above the local median household income ($35,203), so the median earner would likely stretch or need a larger down payment. 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 WV as Very Low (composite score 16.1), which is relatively lower than many U.S. communities. The strongest component scores on US5 are hurricane (45.7) and flood (44.4). 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 WV show little to no average snow and around 49.7 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 10 for ZIP 26178 (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.