County profile · West Virginia
Preston County, WV market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Preston County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 34,004
- −0.6% since 2020
- Households
- 12,809
- Median household income
- $61,880
- +19.3% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $162,800
- Jobs located here
- 6,983
- Highest market score
- 75
- Insurance agencies, #327 of 2,272 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Preston County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Preston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 34,004 people live in Preston County, in 12,809 households. Population estimates show Preston County declined 0.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Preston County is $61,880 a year, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 19.3% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Preston County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 129, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (58).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Preston County are for insurance agencies (75); real estate agents and brokers (69); and lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (67). Preston County ranks #327 of 2,272 scored counties for insurance agencies.
Preston County is part of the Morgantown metro area. For its number of households, Preston County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for convenience stores (76% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for salons, barbers and spas (65% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Preston County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Preston County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 75 | #327 of 2,272 | 9 | 7.0 | $3.6M | 286 | 8 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 69 | #233 of 2,176 | 9 | 7.0 | Index only | 361 | 4 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 67 | #285 of 1,771 | 8 | 6.2 | $2.1M | 126 | 8 |
| Real estate | 66 | #323 of 2,229 | 9 | 7.0 | Index only | 454 | 10 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 63 | #487 of 2,063 | 5 | 3.9 | $8.5M | 231 | 5 |
| Home repair trades | 62 | #471 of 2,057 | 7 | 5.5 | $4.7M | 193 | 18 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 62 | #508 of 2,088 | 7 | 5.5 | $1M | 157 | 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 62 | #660 of 2,405 | 49 | 38.3 | $871K | 131 | 8 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 62 | #676 of 2,405 | 92 | 71.8 | $464K | 125 | 26 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 61 | #647 of 2,210 | 6 | 4.7 | $3.6M | 406 | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 60 | #479 of 1,707 | 5 | 3.9 | $6.6M | 138 | 9 |
| Pet businesses | 60 | #646 of 2,200 | 9 | 7.0 | $1.1M | 126 | Under 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 59 | #776 of 2,394 | 42 | 32.8 | $306K | 200 | 14 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 58 | #601 of 1,889 | 7 | 5.5 | $6.1M | 147 | 5 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 58 | #728 of 2,385 | 21 | 16.4 | $489K | 230 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 57 | #862 of 2,222 | 14 | 10.9 | $3M | 100 | 12 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 56 | #638 of 1,656 | 6 | 4.7 | $2.1M | 120 | 5 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 56 | #702 of 1,886 | 8 | 6.2 | $1.6M | 163 | 6 |
| Hair salons | 56 | #849 of 2,339 | 15 | 11.7 | $684K | 159 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 52 | #826 of 1,792 | 5 | 3.9 | $1.5M | 112 | 3 |
| Grocery stores | 50 | #1,031 of 2,070 | 10 | 7.8 | $7.2M | 78 | 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 50 | #1,217 of 2,402 | 31 | 24.2 | $2.3M | 69 | 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 49 | #737 of 1,493 | 8 | 6.2 | $2.1M | 72 | 8 |
| Physical therapy | 43 | #895 of 1,422 | 6 | 4.7 | $2.1M | 89 | 3 |
| Gas stations | 41 | #1,539 of 2,358 | 18 | 14.1 | $2.1M | 88 | 22 |
| Pizza | 39 | #1,499 of 2,090 | 17 | 13.3 | $2.5M | 49 | 12 |
| Auto repair and car care | 37 | #1,782 of 2,401 | 52 | 40.6 | $219K | 82 | 16 |
| Funeral homes | 34 | #1,137 of 1,472 | 9 | 7.0 | $232K | 34 | Under 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 31 | #1,995 of 2,378 | 36 | 28.1 | $317K | 71 | 12 |
| Child care and preschools | 28 | #1,378 of 1,611 | 9 | 7.0 | $505K | 50 | 7 |
| Convenience stores | 28 | #1,856 of 2,261 | 18 | 14.1 | $4M | 51 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 26 | #1,304 of 1,530 | 7 | 5.5 | $1.6M | 65 | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $5.4M | 421 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $2.9M | 93 | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $4.3M | 179 | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $3.4M | 390 | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $5.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $5.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $3.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $32.8M | Too few | 5 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $21.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $10.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $32.8M | Too few | 4 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $12.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 4 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
Household spending in Preston County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $11.4M | $891 | 93 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $37.7M | $2,941 | 113 |
| Food away from home | $42.7M | $3,334 | 82 |
| Groceries | $72.2M | $5,633 | 89 |
| Personal care products and services | $10.3M | $801 | 80 |
| Child care and other personal services | $4.5M | $355 | 61 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $7.3M | $569 | 58 |
| Medical and dental services | $12.8M | $1,002 | 78 |
| Pets | $10M | $778 | 86 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $21.4M | $1,672 | 81 |
| Vehicle insurance | $32.3M | $2,525 | 129 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $32.8M | $2,560 | 85 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $17M | $1,325 | 94 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $177M | $13,819 | 83 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Preston County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 34,004−0.6% since 2020
- Households
- 12,809
- Median age
- 44.0
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 81%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 649 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 53
- Median household income
- $61,880+19.3% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $75,856
- Median home value
- $162,800
- Jobs located here
- 6,983
- Daytime population
- 28,456Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Preston County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Preston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in West Virginia 8
- Monongalia County, WV107,163 people
- Taylor County, WV16,487 people
- Marion County, WV55,909 people
- Tucker County, WV6,654 people
- Barbour County, WV15,424 people
- Harrison County, WV64,984 people
- Mineral County, WV26,854 people
- Grant County, WV10,983 people
Questions
How fast is Preston County, WV growing?
Population estimates put Preston County at 34,004 people in 2025, down 0.6% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 12,809 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 19.3%, before inflation.
How much do households in Preston County, WV spend?
Households in Preston County spend about $177M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $72.2M on groceries and $42.7M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Preston County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 129, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (58).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Preston County, WV?
Of the business types scored in Preston County, insurance agencies (75); real estate agents and brokers (69); and lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (67) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #327 of 2,272 scored counties.
How does Preston County, WV compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Preston County is $61,880, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 0.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $162,800, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for convenience stores (76% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for salons, barbers and spas (65% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 32 of the 56 business types have a score in Preston County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Preston County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in West Virginia · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Preston County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Preston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.