Personal loans for Pendleton County, WV residents

Who lives in Pendleton County

Pendleton County is home to about 6,043 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 54th most populous of 55 county-level areas in West Virginia. Land area is 696 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 9 per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Pendleton County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 2 places in the county (1 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is Franklin, with about 435 residents, or 7% of the county. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Pendleton County figure on this page as a rough guide.

The Pendleton County job picture

By the Census industry count, 27% of employed Pendleton County residents work in education and health care and 17% in manufacturing. The sharpest difference from the state is in construction, at 16% locally and 7% for West Virginia. Averaged over the five survey years, 6.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 27% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 10% work from home. Only 3.5% of homes here go without a vehicle.

Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Pendleton County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.

What Pendleton County households earn

Half of Pendleton County households take in less than $64,931 a year and half take in more, 9% above the West Virginia median of $59,608. Only 7 West Virginia counties post a higher median.

The spread is wide: 25% of Pendleton County households make $100,000 or more, and 28% make less than $35,000. 16.6% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 16.7%). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.

Pendleton County housing compared with West Virginia

A typical Pendleton County rental runs $770 a month including utilities, which is 12% below West Virginia. 30% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 11% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $183,800, about 2.8 times the median household income. 85% of Pendleton County households own their home and 15% rent.

In an owner-heavy county like Pendleton County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.

How Pendleton County compares with nearby counties

Highland County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Tucker County, is 32 miles off. Rockingham County leads the group on income ($80,693), Randolph County trails ($52,757), and Pendleton County out-earns 4 of the six. Some neighbors are in Virginia. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Pendleton County resident follows West Virginia rules.

Places inside Pendleton County

Here are the 2 most populous of the county's 2 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 12% of Pendleton County residents live in one of the 2. None of the 2 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.

CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.

Debt-to-income at Pendleton County's medians

The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Pendleton County's medians:

• $64,931 a year is $5,411 of gross monthly income
• Median rent: $770, or 14 cents of every gross dollar
• $1,394: what a 40% ratio leaves once rent is paid

Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.

Local borrowing considerations for Pendleton County

A few patterns in the Pendleton County data, and the practical point behind each:

• Long drives. With 27% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Pendleton County budgets.
• 13% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
• Fixed incomes. Pendleton County's median age is 50.7. Social Security and pensions count as income when documented.

Pendleton County households compared

College graduates make up 18% of the adult population. About 7% go without health insurance.

Steps before you apply in Pendleton County

Before you apply, wherever you live in Pendleton County:

• Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Pendleton County.
• Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
• Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
• Ask a Pendleton County credit union about member loans.

Who licenses lenders for Pendleton County residents

Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Pendleton County borrowers answers to the West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. Statewide data and rules: West Virginia guide.

Related local guides

For statewide rules and data, see the West Virginia guide.

• West Virginia state guide