1st Advantage MortgageThe median Boone County household earns $57,093, and 16% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Boone County
- Housing costs in Boone County
- Paychecks and income spread in Boone County
- Jobs and commutes in Boone County
- Boone County and the counties next door
- Boone County towns compared
- Budget math at the Boone County median
- Borrowing situations common in Boone County
- Who lives in Boone County, in numbers
- Steps before you apply in Boone County
- Lender oversight for Boone County
- More guides for Boone County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Boone County
Roughly 21,026 residents live in Boone County, West Virginia, 29th by population among the state's 55 counties and county equivalents. Spread over 502 square miles, that works out to roughly 41.9 residents per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Charleston, WV metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Madison is the biggest of its 9 Census places, at roughly 2,788 people (13% of the county total).
Housing costs in Boone County
Renters in Boone County pay a median of $837 a month, 4% below the West Virginia figure of $872. 50% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 31% spend half or more. With a median value of $93,100, a typical Boone County house costs 1.6 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 81%. Half the housing stock was built before 1976.
| Measure | Boone County | West Virginia | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $837/mo | $872/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $93,100 | $162,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 81% | 75% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 50% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 26.7% | 13.6% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 22% | 15% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Paychecks and income spread in Boone County
Boone County households have a median income of $57,093 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 24th of 55 in West Virginia.
| Band | Boone County | Compared with West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 31.1% | +0.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.9% | +0.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.0% | +2.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.1% | -3.8 pts |
The spread is wide: 26% of Boone County households make $100,000 or more, and 31% make less than $35,000. Census counts 16.2% of Boone County residents in poverty, against 16.7% across West Virginia. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.425 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $57,093 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Jobs and commutes in Boone County
Education and health care employs 30% of working residents, the largest share; agriculture, forestry and mining is next with 13%. Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 13% of workers here, versus 3% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 8.9% in Boone County. Long commutes are common here: 30% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Boone County | Gap to West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.1% | +2.0 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 12.7% | +9.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.1% | -0.9 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.8% | +1.7 pts |
| Construction | 7.1% | +0.4 pts |
| Public administration | 6.1% | -1.1 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Boone County and the counties next door
Logan County is closest, 18 miles from center to center; the sixth, Mingo County, is 32 miles off. Income ranges from $38,119 in Mingo County to $60,943 in Kanawha County; 1 of these neighbors top Boone County's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County | - | $57,093 | $837/mo | 81% |
| Logan County, WV | 18 mi | $49,723 | $710/mo | 77% |
| Lincoln County, WV | 22 mi | $46,205 | $771/mo | 74% |
| Kanawha County, WV | 23 mi | $60,943 | $906/mo | 71% |
| Wyoming County, WV | 30 mi | $48,440 | $650/mo | 82% |
| Raleigh County, WV | 30 mi | $52,150 | $902/mo | 75% |
| Mingo County, WV | 32 mi | $38,119 | $647/mo | 73% |
Boone County towns compared
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 23% of Boone County residents live in one of the 9. No Boone County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 9.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | city | 2,788 | $58,872 | $944 | 6 mi |
| Danville | town | 549 | $23,571 | $530 | 8 mi |
| Racine | CDP | 331 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
| Whitesville | town | 266 | $47,917 | $538 | 10 mi |
| Greenview | CDP | 254 | $59,042 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Comfort | CDP | 220 | $97,222 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Van | CDP | 214 | $75,000 | n/a | 4 mi |
| Sylvester | town | 131 | n/a | n/a | 8 mi |
| Twilight | CDP | 97 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Budget math at the Boone County median
Here is the Boone County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- $57,093 a year is $4,758 of gross monthly income
- Median rent: $837, or 18 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 36% cap, $1,713 total minus rent leaves $876
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,209 a month
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Boone County's.
Borrowing situations common in Boone County
A few patterns in the Boone County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Long drives. With 30% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Boone County budgets.
- Manufactured homes. 27% of Boone County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- Older households. A 45.3 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
- 50% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Who lives in Boone County, in numbers
12% of Boone County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 5% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Boone County | All of West Virginia | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 42.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 11.5% | 24.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 13.4% | 10.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.6% | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.4% | 8.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 9.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.2% | 16.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 8.9% | 5.4% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Boone County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 18.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 19.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 14.8% |
| 60+ min | 15.7% |
Steps before you apply in Boone County
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Lender oversight for Boone County
Boone County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on West Virginia: West Virginia personal loans.
More guides for Boone County
For statewide rules and data, see the West Virginia guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Boone County household make?
About $57,093 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 4% below the West Virginia median.
What do renters pay in Boone County?
$837 a month at the median, about 18% of median household income.
I own my home in Boone County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 81% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
Which towns does the Boone County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 9 Census places: Madison, Danville, Racine, Whitesville, Greenview.
Are Boone County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.