Nitro, WV

City in WV, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

6,853

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

44.5

years ∙ half population younger than 44.5, half older

Diversity Index

22.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

foreign-born population

100%Native

0% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Nitro is a city within Kanawha and Putnam counties, West Virginia, United States.

Location

City in WV, US

Co-ordinates

DEC38.411614° N, 81.807811° W

DMS38° 24′ 41.81″ N, 81° 48′ 28.12″ W

Population Density & area

1,281/sq mi (495.2/km²)

Total Area

5.92 sq mi (15.32 km²)

Land Area

5.35 sq mi (13.84 km²) · 90.3%

Water Area

0.57 sq mi (1.48 km²) · 9.7%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

48.5% male

Male 48.5%

Female 51.5%

males per 100 females

Nitro 94.2

West Virginia 99.8

United States 98

Nativity

foreign-born population

100%Native

0% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Nitro 0%

West Virginia 1.8%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

44.5

years ∙ half population younger than 44.5, half older

Nitro

44.5

West Virginia

42.7

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

70.3

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Nitro 70.3

West Virginia 69.6

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Nitro	West Virginia	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	21.9%	20%	22%
Working age (18-64)	58.7%	59%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	19.4%	21%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	70.3	69.6	64.4
Child dependency ratio	37.3	34	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	33.1	35.7	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

87.3%

Black

1.5%

Asian

Hispanic

0.1%

Other

11.1%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

22.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nitro 22.6%

West Virginia 19.2%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Nitro population

	Nitro	West Virginia	United States
Hispanic or Latino	0.1%	2.1%	19.3%
Mexican	0%	0.8%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0%	0.3%	1.8%
Cuban	0.1%	0.1%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0%	1%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	99.9%	97.9%	80.7%
One race	88.9%	94%	76.4%
White	87.3%	89.7%	57.4%
Black or African American	1.5%	3.1%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0.1%	0.5%
Asian	0%	0.8%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0%	0.3%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	11%	3.9%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

60.6% family

Family 60.6%

Non family 39.4%

% family households

Nitro 60.6%

West Virginia 62.6%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.42

persons per household

Nitro

2.42

West Virginia

2.37

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Nitro population

	Nitro	West Virginia	United States
Total households	2,828	728,655	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.42	2.37	2.53
Family households	1,713	456,055	82,990,528
Average family size	3.12	2.97	3.14
Married couple family	1,108	340,756	60,637,388
Other families	605	115,299	22,353,140
Male householder	113	35,852	6,572,819
Female householder	492	79,447	15,780,321
Non-family households	1,115	272,600	46,236,968
One-person households	983	227,957	37,140,836
Male householder	383	106,163	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	66	39,984	5,225,110
Female householder	600	121,794	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	282	68,886	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	132	44,643	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

3,507

housing units

Nitro 3,507

West Virginia 861,325

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

80.6% occupied

Occupied 80.6%

Vacant 19.4%

vacancy rate

Nitro 19.4%

West Virginia 15.4%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

85.6%

Single family houses

85.6%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

10.6%

Mobile homes

3.8%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1957

Half of houses were built before 1957, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

23%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

49.1%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

22.5%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

5.4%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Nitro	West Virginia	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.9	5.9	5.5
1–3 rooms	5.9%	8.6%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	63.1%	53.9%	51.6%
7+ rooms	31%	37.5%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0.7%	2%	2.9%
1 bedroom	3.9%	7.1%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	34.7%	26.2%	25%
3 bedrooms	51.4%	46.3%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	9.3%	18.4%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1957	1977	1981
Total housing units	3,507	861,325	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

74.5% owners

Renter-occupied 25.5%

Owner-occupied 74.5%

homeownership rate

Nitro 74.5%

West Virginia 74.9%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.33

Owner-occupied

2.69

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Nitro 2.33

West Virginia 2.45

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Nitro	West Virginia	United States
Total occupied units	2,828	728,655	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	21.7%	19.6%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	29.5%	34.3%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	16.7%	17.7%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	32.1%	28.4%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.3%	98.7%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1.7%	0.8%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0%	0.5%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	11.6%	8%	8.4%
1 vehicle	38.4%	34.2%	33.1%
2 vehicles	32.2%	36.8%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	17.8%	20.9%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	65.9%	45.9%	51.4%
Electricity	33.2%	46.1%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0%	2.1%	3.9%
All other fuels	0.6%	5.4%	2%
No fuel used	0.4%	0.4%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0%	0.5%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0%	0.7%	0.8%
No telephone service available	1.8%	1.3%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$128,900

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Nitro

$128,900

West Virginia

$162,600

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

20.6%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

20.6%

Owners without a mortgage

17.5%

Renters

48.1%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Nitro	West Virginia	United States
Property value
Median Value	$128,900	$162,600	$332,700
Under $100,000	38.4%	30.4%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	45.7%	30.2%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	12.8%	20.2%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	2.1%	14.2%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	0.9%	4.3%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0%	0.8%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	50.3%	46.1%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	49.7%	53.9%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,028	$1,255	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$463	$398	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$949	$872	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

17.2%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Nitro 17.2%

West Virginia 24.1%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

10.1%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Nitro 10.1%

West Virginia 10.7%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

1,451

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

3.2%

K–12

85.5%

College / Undergraduate

7.2%

Graduate / Professional

4.1%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

18.7%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Nitro

18.7%

West Virginia

37.1%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Nitro	West Virginia	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	1,451	364,818	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	3.2%	5%	5.7%
K–12	85.5%	70.2%	67.6%
Kindergarten	2%	4.7%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	21.2%	20.2%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	47.1%	22.7%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	15.2%	22.7%	21.7%
College or graduate school	11.2%	24.9%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	7.2%	19.7%	21%
Graduate, professional school	4.1%	5.2%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	18.7%	37.1%	40.9%
School type
Public school	94.2%	86.2%	82%
Private school	5.8%	13.8%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

4,911

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

1.4%

9th-12th, no diploma

8.7%

HS graduate

44.1%

Some college no degree

21.9%

Associates degree

6.7%

Bachelors degree

8.5%

Graduate or professional degree

8.7%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

40.3% · 59.7%

9th-12th, no diploma

87.9% · 12.1%

HS graduate

48.5% · 51.5%

Some college no degree

50.4% · 49.6%

Associates degree

33.9% · 66.1%

Bachelors degree

41.3% · 58.7%

Graduate or professional degree

28.3% · 71.7%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Nitro	West Virginia	United States
Population (25+)	4,911	1,266,322	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	1.4%	3.2%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	8.7%	7.5%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	44.1%	39.3%	26%
Some college, no degree	21.9%	17.5%	19.1%
Associate's degree	6.7%	8.4%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	17.2%	24.1%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	8.5%	14.4%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	8.7%	9.7%	14.1%
High School or higher	89.9%	89.3%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$46,707

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$48,706

HS graduate

$30,377

Some college or associates

$42,234

Bachelors degree

$54,205

Graduate or professional degree

$61,341

Poverty Rate

1.3%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

11.7%

HS graduate

18.4%

Some college or associates

9.9%

Bachelors degree or higher

1.3%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Nitro	West Virginia	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$46,707	$45,862	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$48,706	$28,863	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$30,377	$37,352	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$42,234	$42,135	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$54,205	$57,259	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$61,341	$71,098	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	11.7%	33.2%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	18.4%	17.2%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	9.9%	11.7%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	1.3%	4.9%	4.5%

Insights for Nitro, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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