CarolinaWV
261 people live in this town, settled in 1917.
Is Carolina a good place to live?
53% of residents live below the poverty line in Carolina, above both the West Virginia town median (16%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 3 have a lower owner-occupancy rate than Carolina. Carolina has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
261 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Carolina.
A college town: 25% of residents are 18 to 24
Adults 18 to 34 are 44% of residents (21% statewide); children under 18 are 7% of residents (20% statewide).
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 42% and 64% women
The Census survey reached too few of Carolina’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±11 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Carolina | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.5% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 25.3% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.4% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 0% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.6% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 18.4% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 2.3% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.4% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 23% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 31.5% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.4% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 10.1% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14.6% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
Zillow puts the typical Carolina home at about $110K
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 4.6%.
Typical home value
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards: very high risk in Carolina, mostly inland flooding
In Carolina, the FEMA risk score is 81 of 100. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Carolina after 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2025. Also worth knowing: of the losses FEMA expects locally, 91% come from inland flooding.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
With only 0.4 jobs per working resident, most people in Carolina work out of town
The top destinations are Fairmont (27%), Morgantown (8%) and Bridgeport (6%). The median commute is under 10 miles.
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Carolina
In July, afternoons reach 84°; in January, nights fall to 22°, and about 24 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Carolina is
Carolina: just over a third of adults feel lonely. Only 3 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have obesity than Carolina.
| Carolina | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 41% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 44% | 35% |
| What stands out | Carolina | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 13.4% | 11% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 15% | 12.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Conserved land covers 2.1% of Carolina
Parks and preserves in Carolina: one, of 10 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Caroline Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Carolina
Moving to Carolina: who provides what
Carolina is unincorporated, so Marion County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
100% of working residents leave Carolina for work
Where Carolina’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Carolina
About 6 of every 100 Carolina residents are enrolled in college, about the same as West Virginia.
About Carolina
Unincorporated town in West Virginia, United States
Carolina is an unincorporated town in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. Carolina is 2 miles (3.2 km) north-northwest of Worthington. Carolina has a post office with ZIP code 26563. It has been designated a census-designated place (CDP); as of the 2020 census, its population was 390 (down from 411 at the 2010 census). The community was named after Caroline Watson, a daughter of mining executive James Watson. Consolidated Coal Company bought lands in the area for mining in 1914, and starting building the village in 1915.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,184 ft
- ZIP code
- 26563
Questions about Carolina
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Carolina, WV a good place to live?
Carolina has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Say something about Carolina.
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