Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates. Page data updated 2026-08-02.
ZIP code 26524 covers WV in Preston County with a population of about 135.
At a glance, the area shows median age of 59.1 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.
It sits in telephone area codes 304, 681; U.S. House district WV-2; the PITTSBURGH media market.
WV fits a retirement-oriented profile (older median age or known retirement-community context). 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 26524 is about $11,438 — about 85% below the U.S. median ($75,149).
On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 80.0%; unemployment rate near 60.8%; 4.9% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 28.8 points below the national share (33.7%)).
Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Retail trade, Transportation, and Healthcare; a mean commute of about 29.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).
Median home value is about $157,000 — about 55% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).
Housing tenure and rents show owner-occupancy near 74.2% (about 8.8 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).
To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 26524 in WV, a household would need roughly $43,000 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 $1,009. That is about 276% above the local median household income ($11,438), 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 33.8), which is relatively lower than many U.S. communities. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (59.6) and hurricane (55.1). 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 limited published climate normals on US5.
IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 5 for ZIP 26524 (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.