Ranson corporation, West Virginia

Population

Growing. Up 25.1% since 2020.

6,853

people, the 21st-largest of West Virginia's cities and towns.

Census Population Estimates, 2025. Rank among West Virginia's cities and towns computed by the Almanac. Sources: Census Population Estimates

The workday

9 in 10 jobs here go to people who live somewhere else.

91.0%

of 3,572 jobs located in Ranson corporation are filled by in-commuters.

Census LEHD LODES, 2023. Sources: Census LEHD LODES

Rent

Median rent is up 117% since the 2005–2009 survey, before inflation.

$1,536

a month. West Virginia's median is $872.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024 (latest), with earlier 5-year windows. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

The seam

Cross one tract line and median rent jumps $382.

A $382 gap between neighbors, the sharpest rent edge between adjacent tracts in Jefferson County.

• $966 Tract 9727.01
• $1,348 Tract 9726.01

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024, adjacent tracts compared by the Almanac. Tract estimates carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

Room to build

The median rent is above what local wages can carry.

$897–$1,346

is the monthly rent range local workforce wages support.

• $1,536 median

Supportable rent computed by the Almanac from 2023 source wage data. Median rent: Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Computed by the Almanac, Census ACS 5-year

Building

54% of the housing here was built before 2000.

• 1,608 homes permitted in ten years, 2016–2025
• 2% of those were in multifamily buildings
• 54% of all homes were built before 2000

Census Building Permits Survey, 2016–2025; Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Census Building Permits Survey, Census ACS 5-year

Units needed

Closing the gap would add 0.3–1.5% to the 2,469 homes here.

8–36

is the estimated number of missing housing units, from the lowest to the highest of three estimates.

Range computed by the Almanac from 2023 jobs and household data, using three demand models: 1% of jobs located here, 1% of renter households, and a rate by town size applied to renters. The low end is the lowest of the three and the high end the highest. It is an estimate, not a count. Sources: Computed by the Almanac

Home value

A median home costs 49% more than West Virginia's.

$242,700

median home value in Ranson corporation.

• $242,700 Ranson corporation
• $162,600 West Virginia
• $332,700 U.S.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Census ACS 5-year