Jobs, pay and daily life in Elkins, 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.
Elkins is a city in West Virginia with 6,811 residents. The median household earns $44,217 a year and the median rent is $903 a month, which is 24.5% 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 Elkins compares. Among the 40 largest places in West Virginia, Elkins is #26 by population, #3 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #36 for household income (#1 = highest), #31 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Randolph County, is #46 of 55 counties for average pay ($45,695).
Elkins has 6,811 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of West Virginia. It covers 4 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,843 people per square mile. The median age is 40.5, 5% younger than the state median (40.5 against 42.7).
The median gross rent is $903 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% above the state median ($903 against $872). Over a year that is 24.5% 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 $152,700, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($44,217); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 58.5% of households own their home, 22% below the state average (58.5% against 74.9%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Randolph County was 4.3%. 61.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Randolph County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.7% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 5.5% walk, 7.4% work from home. 4.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 76% below the state average (4.2% against 17.5%).
31.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 29% above the state share (31.1% against 24.1%). 1.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 33% below the state share (1.2% against 1.8%). The poverty rate is 17.3%, 3% above the state rate (17.3% 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: Buckhannon (21 miles, similar rent); Grafton (30 miles, rent 43% lower); Bridgeport (33 miles, rent 22% higher); Weston (34 miles, rent 15% lower). Rent differences are against Elkins; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in West Virginia (239) →State guide: West VirginiaCountry guideRandolph 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 | 32.8% |
| Retail trade | 13.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.1% |
| Public administration | 7.3% |
| Manufacturing | 7.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.4% |
| Construction | 4.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.4% |
| Other services | 3.4% |
| Information | 1.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Elkins 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randolph County | 27,576 | $1,145 million | $41,507 | 10,467 | 1,002 | $45,695 | -0.6% | 4.3% | 9,887 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,252 | 23.4% | $34,646 | 1.20 |
| Manufacturing | 960 | 18.0% | $42,854 | 1.12 |
| Accommodation and food services | 806 | 15.1% | $19,753 | 0.85 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 482 | 9.0% | $79,177 | 1.09 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 294 | 5.5% | $33,486 | 0.93 |
| Construction | 272 | 5.1% | $48,406 | 0.50 |
| Finance and insurance | 260 | 4.9% | $60,012 | 0.61 |
| Professional and technical services | 242 | 4.5% | $66,026 | 0.33 |
| Wholesale trade | 240 | 4.5% | $60,136 | 0.58 |
| Administrative and waste services | 165 | 3.1% | $28,864 | 0.27 |
| Real estate and rental | 104 | 1.9% | $62,620 | 0.64 |
| Information | 86 | 1.6% | $47,217 | 0.44 |
| Utilities | 79 | 1.5% | $118,098 | 1.99 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 62 | 1.2% | $20,829 | 0.35 |
| Management of companies | 36 | 0.7% | $47,429 | 0.20 |
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 | 72.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 5.5% |
| Work from home | 7.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,217 |
| Income per person | $31,953 |
| Median gross rent per month | $903 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.5% |
| Median home value | $152,700 |
| Homeowners | 58.5% |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% |
| 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 | 40.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 31.1% |
| Born abroad | 1.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.8% |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckhannon | WV | 21 mi | 5,116 | $54,615 | $885 |
| Grafton | WV | 30 mi | 4,618 | $40,402 | $512 |
| Bridgeport | WV | 33 mi | 9,252 | $100,022 | $1,105 |
| Weston | WV | 34 mi | 3,840 | $52,070 | $770 |
| Clarksburg | WV | 36 mi | 15,549 | $47,386 | $790 |
| Fairmont | WV | 41 mi | 18,221 | $63,032 | $916 |
| Brookhaven | WV | 47 mi | 6,212 | $88,438 | $1,104 |
| Morgantown | WV | 50 mi | 30,236 | $44,727 | $937 |
| Westover | WV | 50 mi | 4,026 | $60,769 | $1,025 |
| Cheat Lake | WV | 51 mi | 10,902 | $117,014 | $1,124 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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6,811 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$903 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.5% of the median household income.
$44,217 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.3% (BLS county, Randolph County (latest month 2026M09)).
West Virginia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.