Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety47#8,328/15,637
Economy0#15,630/15,631
Housing39#9,111/14,977
Health0#15,592/15,609
Healthcare3#15,141/15,650
Environment24#11,686/15,453
Education17#13,040/15,649
Infrastructure2#15,281/15,650
Community7#14,601/15,651
Leisure & amenities36#10,002/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Williamson, West Virginia ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Mingo County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Pharmacies · high3.7 /10k
99/100West Virginia 2.8 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMingo County value
Public libraries · high2.3 /10k
93/100West Virginia 1.0 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesMingo County value
Property crime rate · low447 /100k
92/100West Virginia 1,053 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figureMingo County value
High ozone days · low0 days
76/100West Virginia 0 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyMingo County value
Average commute time · low27.2 min
75/100West Virginia 26.6 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low7.0 µg/m³
72/100West Virginia 7.3 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyMingo County value

Weaknesses

Depression · high35.6%
0/100West Virginia 31.9%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Life expectancy · low65.7 yrs
0/100West Virginia 72.4 yrsUnited States 77.6 yrs2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteMingo County value
Poverty rate · high49.1%
0/100West Virginia 16.2%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Median household income · low$21,875
0/100West Virginia $60,662United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013
Preventable hospital stays · high9,843 /100k
0/100West Virginia 4,063 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteMingo County value
Frequent mental distress · high26.3%
0/100West Virginia 23.4%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Child poverty rateWorsening
45.5% (2015-2019) → 65.5% (2020-2024)
+20 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
65.5% (2015-2019) → 49.1% (2020-2024)
−16 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Average commute timeWorsening
17.0 min (2015-2019) → 27.2 min (2020-2024)
+60%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min
Rent as share of incomeImproving
41.7% (2015-2019) → 29.8% (2020-2024)
−12 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Poverty rateWorsening
38.9% (2015-2019) → 49.1% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Unemployment rateImproving
23.6% (2015-2019) → 13.6% (2020-2024)
−9.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Williamson, West Virginia improved on 1 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 12 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Rent / income−12 points41.7% → 29.8%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Williamson, West Virginia between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	17.0 min2015-2019	27.2 min2020-2024	+10.2 min	Within the margin of error	2%
Bachelor's degree or higher	17.0%2015-2019	10.4%2020-2024	−6.7 points	Within the margin of error	4%
Broadband subscriptions	74.3%2015-2019	76.9%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	18%
Child poverty rate	45.5%2015-2019	65.5%2020-2024	+20 points	Within the margin of error	5%
High school diploma or higher	79.4%2015-2019	86.7%2020-2024	+7.3 points	Within the margin of error	90%
Home price to income ratio	3.4×2015-2019	4.1×2020-2024	+0.7×	Within the margin of error	38%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.6022015-2019	0.5612020-2024	−0.041	Within the margin of error	80%
Median household income	$24,0582015-2019	$21,8752020-2024	−9.1%	Within the margin of error	3%
Poverty rate	38.9%2015-2019	49.1%2020-2024	+10 points	Within the margin of error	4%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	41.7%2015-2019	29.8%2020-2024	−12 points	Improved	95%
Rent-burdened households	65.5%2015-2019	49.1%2020-2024	−16 points	Within the margin of error	90%
Unemployment rate	23.6%2015-2019	13.6%2020-2024	−9.9 points	Within the margin of error	99%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Williamson, West Virginia five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Williamson, West Virginia in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Williamson, West Virginia itself moved −0.4 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

2,919 residents (±26)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under 10 women (−9.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

2,919 residents (±26)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

White89%2,602
Black9.4%†273
Hispanic or Latino0.0%0

Education

2,105 residents (±222)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

No high school diploma13%†280
High school or GED40%841
Some college25%†518

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,405 households (±172)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

Under $25k59%822
$25k–50k23%†321
$50k–75k8.5%†119
$75k–100k2.1%†29
$100k–150k4.7%†66
$150k–200k0.5%†7
$200k or more2.9%†41

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $75k–100k (−7.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,405 households (±172)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

Own46%651
Rent54%754

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

711 households (±200)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

Under $75074%†525
$750–1,0009.7%†69
$1,000–1,50015%†110

Home values

651 homes (±166)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

Under $150k80%†520
$150k–250k5.5%†36
$250k–400k15%†

Age of homes

1,723 homes (±214)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

2010 or later5.1%†88
2000–20093.3%†57
1980–19997.8%†

Size of homes

1,723 homes (±214)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

Studio0.4%†7
1 bedroom25%†426
2 bedrooms34%†579

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

615 workers (±220)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

Drive alone88%†539
Carpool2.1%†13
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home10%†63
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Walk (−14.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

552 workers (±213)

Williamson, West Virginia
West Virginia share

Under 15 min41%†229
15–29 min2.0%†11
30–44 min29%†160

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Mingo County, the county holding most of Williamson's residents.

Mingo County has 326 employer establishments, 148 for every 10,000 residents (0.60× the US rate of 248; 0.73× West Virginia's), with 3,211 paid employees at an average annual pay of $52,498. The Census Bureau also counts 916 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 326; 916 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 148; US 248 · West Virginia 202
Paid employees: 3,211
Average annual pay: $52,498; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Mingo County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	25	11.4	0.55×Fewer than typical	263	$57,198	33
Specialty trade contractors	19	8.6	0.56×Fewer than typical	147	$56,231	64
Restaurants and other eating places	18	8.2	0.45×Fewer than typical	198	$14,343	9
Truck transportation	18	8.2	1.62×More than typical	118	$54,390	29
Legal services	17	7.7	1.44×More than typical	57	$48,895	6
Religious organizations	16	7.3	1.31×More than typical	54	$14,093	—
Full-service restaurants	13	5.9	0.77×Fewer than typical	97	$13,000	5
Gasoline stations	13	5.9	1.82×More than typical	121	$22,223	3
Individual and family services	11	5	1.79×More than typical	109	$26,404	10
Other specialty trade contractors	11	5	1.99×More than typical	110	$61,536	26
Accounting, tax preparation and payroll services	10	4.5	1.12×About typical	68	$21,926	11
General merchandise stores	9	4.1	2.32×Too few to compare	56	$22,839	9

Rank places for an industry Open Mingo County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 21,996 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Williamson, West Virginia: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

15.5KFY2024
-627.6FY2025

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Williamson, West Virginia, so they do not add up across cities.

Williamson, West Virginia's figures are part of those of Mingo County, WV ($42.6K in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Williamson is mostly in Mingo County.

See federal money in Mingo County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Williamson, West Virginia is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Carol D. MillerR-WV-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 100%Missed 5.3%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Mingo County8100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Mingo County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/5487508