HomeWest VirginiaRitchie County
Ritchie County, West Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Ritchie County, West Virginia has a population of 8,286 across 452 square miles, down 3.3 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $715.8 m in 2024, 188 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 4 7(a) approvals worth $693,000.
107 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Ritchie County
How many people live in Ritchie County
- Population8,286
- Households3,389
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$50,582
- Median age46.1
- Median gross rent$579 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$115,900
- Home value to household income2.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher14.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree2.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over6,092
- Population under 181,646
- Share under 1819.9 percent
- Population 65 and over1,905
- Share 65 and over23.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 644,735
- Civilian labor force3,261
- Unemployment rate2.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over49.1 percent
- Rank by population among West Virginia counties44th of 55
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents2629th
Ritchie County is the 44th largest of 55 West Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 2.3 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.0 percent against 19.9 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Ritchie County
Is Ritchie County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.26 percent
- Census 2020 base population8,445
- Births, 202487
- Deaths, 2024134
- Natural change, 2024-47
- Net domestic migration, 202421
- Net international migration, 20249
- Total net migration, 202430
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-86
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2784th
The county has lost 3.26 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Ritchie County
Where people moving to Ritchie County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving134
- People arriving, from those returns286
- Adjusted gross income arriving$6.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$46,493
- Largest single originRitchie County Non-migrants (3,325 households)
- Largest single destination (3,325 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ritchie County Non-migrants | 3,325 | 6,820 | $217.7 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 73 | 157 | $3.5 m |
| Wood County | 37 | 80 | $1.3 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 24 | 49 | $1.5 m |
| Other flows - South | 24 | 49 | $1.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Ritchie County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Ritchie County
What the Ritchie County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$715.8 m
- County GDP, 2023$755.6 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-5.3 percent
- GDP change over five years25.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among West Virginia counties37th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents2123rd
- GDP per resident$86,388
Output grew -5.3 percent in the latest year and 25.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Ritchie County
Who employs people in Ritchie County
- Covered employment, annual average3,008
- Establishments reporting263
- Average annual pay$51,970
- Average weekly wage$999
- Sector 31-33, employment721
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$53,566
- Sector 44-45, employment307
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$29,697
- Sector 23, employment142
- Sector 23, average annual pay$68,351
- Sector 54, employment126
- Sector 54, average annual pay$61,303
- Sector 48-49, employment75
- Sector 22, employment22
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 721 | 12 | $53,566 |
| Sector 44-45 | 307 | 30 | $29,697 |
| Sector 23 | 142 | 18 | $68,351 |
| Sector 54 | 126 | 17 | $61,303 |
| Sector 48-49 | 75 | 12 | $67,626 |
| Sector 22 | 22 | 4 | $97,452 |
| Sector 42 | 21 | 5 | $54,140 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 721 jobs, 24.0 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job exceeds median household income, which usually means single earner households and a wage base that can carry rent.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Ritchie County
What businesses operate in Ritchie County
- Establishments, all industries188
- Employment at those establishments2,893
- Annual payroll$132.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Ritchie County
What is being built in Ritchie County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202426
- Declared construction value permitted$7.7 m
- Single family units authorised26
- Multifamily units authorised0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$297,083
- Units authorised per 1,000 households7.7
Multifamily is 0.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Ritchie County
How much SBA lending happens in Ritchie County
- 7(a) approvals recorded4
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$693,000
- Average 7(a) approval$173,250
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$90,000
- 90th percentile approval$350,000
- Largest single approval$350,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)15
- Jobs per approval3.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter4
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Automotive Repair (1)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (2)
The average approval of $173,250 sits close to the median of $150,000, so lending here is fairly evenly sized rather than driven by a few large deals. Only 0.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ritchie County
Do SBA loans in Ritchie County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 0 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ritchie County
Which parts of Ritchie County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending4
- CAIRO, approvals1
- MACFARLAN, approvals1
- SAINT MARYS, approvals1
- HARRISVILLE, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| CAIRO | 1 | $103,000 |
| MACFARLAN | 1 | $350,000 |
| SAINT MARYS | 1 | $150,000 |
| HARRISVILLE | 1 | $90,000 |
CAIRO accounts for 1 approvals against 1 in MACFARLAN. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ritchie County
How big is Ritchie County
- Land area452 sq mi
- Rank by land area among West Virginia counties23rd of 55
- Width, east to west27.7 mi
- Height, north to south26.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land18
- Establishments per square mile0.42
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No 504 approvals recorded in this county in the FOIA release covering FY2010 onward.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Ritchie County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Ritchie County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population8,286
- Households3,389
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$50,582
- Median age46.1
Common questions
Ritchie County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Ritchie County, West Virginia?
8,286, in 3,389 households, ranking 44th of 55 West Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Ritchie County growing?
The population has fallen 3.26 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 87 births against 134 deaths, with net migration of 30. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Ritchie County?
$50,582. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $115,900, which is 2.3 times income, and median gross rent is $579 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Ritchie County?
188 establishments, employing 2,893 people with an annual payroll of $132.7 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Ritchie County?
Average annual pay is $51,970, or $999 a week, across 3,008 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Ritchie County?
4 7(a) approvals totalling $693,000 since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Ritchie County?
26 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $7.7 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Ritchie County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Ritchie County come from?
The largest single origin is Ritchie County Non-migrants, with 3,325 households. Arriving households report an average income of $46,493 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Ritchie County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Ritchie County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.