Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Established in 1833, this town now has 968 residents.
Only 3 of the 53 West Virginia towns we compare have a lower midpoint home value than Hamlin. Hamlin’s trail network density is 1.0 miles per square mile, where West Virginia’s towns sit at 0.4 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Lincoln National Bank is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hamlin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Hamlin beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 516 in 1920, 1,039 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1907 and 4 maps from 1902 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hamlin, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Hamlin.
The share of residents in Hamlin who live below the poverty line: 22%. Commuting out is the norm here: 17% of working residents work locally. Jobs based locally fell to 873 in 2023, 265 fewer than in 2013. Half the trips to work are shorter than 19 miles.
| Hamlin | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 14% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Lincoln County Schools runs its public schools. Its one school is below. 454 students attend Hamlin’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamlin PK-8Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 454 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 90% of U.S. communities. 37 flood insurance claims have been paid in Hamlin since 1978. 89% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 7 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Typical home values fell 7.1% in the year to September 2026. For Hamlin, the typical rent is $679 a month. In Hamlin, nearly two thirds of households live in a home they own.
| Hamlin | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $679 a month | $878 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 65% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
For adults 25 and older in Hamlin, the share who hold a bachelor’s degree or more is 16%. Children under 18 are 25% of residents (20% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). Since 2020, Hamlin has lost 7.2% of its people, to 968 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 5 have a higher share of children under 18 than Hamlin.
| Hamlin | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 25% | 20% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 16% | 29% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 16% | 21% | 18% |
| Median age | 43.5 years | 42.2 years | 40.5 years |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.1 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Hamlin | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.7% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.6% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.6% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.3% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.1% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.4% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.9% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.3% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 42.3% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.2% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 13% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 3.2% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,000, single groups can be off by several points
Among adults in Hamlin, 23% smoke cigarettes. Hamlin: a fifth of adults report frequent physical distress.
| Hamlin | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 18% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 31% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 21% | 17% |
| What stands out | Hamlin | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 31.8% | 19.5% |
| More smokers | 23.4% | 19.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.7% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lions Club Sports Park | 0.4 mi | 14 |
| 2. Wellness Center Park | 0.2 mi | 2 |
| 3. Heritage Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Hamlin; the nearest are
About 8 of every 100 Hamlin residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Where Hamlin’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in West Virginia, United States
Hamlin is a town in and the county seat of Lincoln County, West Virginia, United States, along the Mud River. The population was recorded as 1,040 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hamlin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Hamlin was established in 1833 and has 1 place on the National Register of Historic Places. 2 notable people were born here, including William S. Wysong and Ev Elkins.
