Jobs, pay and daily life in Buckhannon, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Buckhannon is a city in West Virginia with 5,116 residents. The median household earns $54,615 a year and the median rent is $885 a month, which is 19.4% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Buckhannon compares. Among the 40 largest places in West Virginia, Buckhannon is #31 by population, #37 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #5 for remote work (#1 = most), #27 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Upshur County, is #39 of 55 counties for average pay ($48,466).
Buckhannon has 5,116 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of West Virginia. It covers 3 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,796 people per square mile. The median age is 32.8, 23% younger than the state median (32.8 against 42.7).
The median gross rent is $885 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($885 against $872). Over a year that is 19.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $158,100, which is 2.9 times the median household income ($54,615); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 62.7% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (62.7% against 74.9%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Upshur County was 3.7%. 46.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Upshur County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 64.6% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 12.5% walk, 14.8% work from home. 18.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 4% above the state average (18.2% against 17.5%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
24.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, about the same as the state share (24.4% against 24.1%). 3.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 62% above the state share (3.0% against 1.8%). The poverty rate is 21.7%, 30% above the state rate (21.7% against 16.7%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 28°F (-2.5°C). About 1,190 mm (47 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (129 mm) and Nov the driest (78 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Weston (13 miles, rent 13% lower); Clarksburg (20 miles, rent 11% lower); Elkins (21 miles, similar rent); Bridgeport (21 miles, rent 25% higher). Rent differences are against Buckhannon; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in West Virginia (239) →State guide: West VirginiaCountry guideUpshur CountyWest Virginia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 239 federal postings open in West Virginia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 35.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 14.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 9.7% |
| Retail trade | 7.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.7% |
| Public administration | 6.0% |
| Manufacturing | 5.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.8% |
| Construction | 3.0% |
| Other services | 1.1% |
| Information | 0.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Buckhannon lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upshur County | 23,712 | $1,053 million | $44,425 | 7,673 | 833 | $48,466 | -0.1% | 3.7% | 10,293 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,106 | 24.3% | $36,081 | 1.44 |
| Manufacturing | 784 | 17.2% | $64,296 | 1.24 |
| Accommodation and food services | 717 | 15.8% | $19,743 | 1.03 |
| Construction | 476 | 10.5% | $60,987 | 1.18 |
| Professional and technical services | 243 | 5.3% | $56,251 | 0.46 |
| Wholesale trade | 228 | 5.0% | $66,740 | 0.75 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 217 | 4.8% | $66,399 | 7.48 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 147 | 3.2% | $34,064 | 0.64 |
| Administrative and waste services | 122 | 2.7% | $43,849 | 0.27 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 114 | 2.5% | $47,086 | 0.35 |
| Information | 92 | 2.0% | $84,273 | 0.64 |
| Finance and insurance | 87 | 1.9% | $58,087 | 0.28 |
| Real estate and rental | 66 | 1.5% | $50,738 | 0.55 |
| Management of companies | 56 | 1.2% | $70,746 | 0.43 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 45 | 1.0% | $14,214 | 0.35 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 39 | 0.9% | $42,032 | 0.63 |
| Utilities | 10 | 0.2% | $65,974 | 0.34 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 64.6% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 12.5% |
| Work from home | 14.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 18.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,615 |
| Income per person | $29,231 |
| Median gross rent per month | $885 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.4% |
| Median home value | $158,100 |
| Homeowners | 62.7% |
| Poverty rate | 21.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 4.82%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.4% |
| Born abroad | 3.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 46.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.5 | 28 | 84 |
| Feb | -1.1 | 30 | 85 |
| Mar | 3.6 | 38 | 91 |
| Apr | 10.0 | 50 | 107 |
| May | 15.3 | 60 | 125 |
| Jun | 19.4 | 67 | 118 |
| Jul | 21.4 | 71 | 129 |
| Aug | 21.3 | 70 | 92 |
| Sep | 18.1 | 65 | 89 |
| Oct | 11.3 | 52 | 95 |
| Nov | 5.0 | 41 | 78 |
| Dec | 0.1 | 32 | 97 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weston | WV | 13 mi | 3,840 | $52,070 | $770 |
| Clarksburg | WV | 20 mi | 15,549 | $47,386 | $790 |
| Elkins | WV | 21 mi | 6,811 | $44,217 | $903 |
| Bridgeport | WV | 21 mi | 9,252 | $100,022 | $1,105 |
| Grafton | WV | 27 mi | 4,618 | $40,402 | $512 |
| Fairmont | WV | 34 mi | 18,221 | $63,032 | $916 |
| Westover | WV | 46 mi | 4,026 | $60,769 | $1,025 |
| Brookhaven | WV | 46 mi | 6,212 | $88,438 | $1,104 |
| Morgantown | WV | 47 mi | 30,236 | $44,727 | $937 |
| Cheat Lake | WV | 51 mi | 10,902 | $117,014 | $1,124 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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5,116 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$885 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.4% of the median household income.
$54,615 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Upshur County (latest month 2026M09)).
West Virginia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.