Canty House · National Register of Historic Places
Institute’s story
127 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1935.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1899Institute is settled
InstituteWV
A town of 521, settled in 1899.
1 bordering townMap →
East Hall · Photo: Harper1040 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
521
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$42K
median
Median age
26.8
years
Jobs based here
398
A job hub
Is Institute a good place to live?
Institute’s median age is 26.8 years, below both the West Virginia town median (42.2 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Institute is home to West Virginia State University. Institute has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Institute stand out
Where Institute beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here398
Residents who work187
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
The college
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| West Virginia State University | 2,991 |
College town
2,991 college students
at West Virginia State University
Students are part of everyday life here.
College town
43% of Institute is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Getting set up
Moving to Institute: who provides what
Institute is unincorporated, so Kanawha County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWest Virginia American WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers90% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKanawha CountyKanawha County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn West Virginia you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereKanawha Clerk of the County CommissionKanawha County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP codes25064, 2511225064 57% · 25112 43%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Institute.
Work & commute
Institute has 2.1 jobs for every working resident, and 389 people commute in
Most working residents leave Institute for work: only 5% work in town. 21% of Institute residents live below the poverty line, where West Virginia’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Since 2013, Institute has lost 710 jobs, to 398 in 2023.
5%work in town
| Institute | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 14% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Institute5%
Charleston32%
South Charleston6%
Dunbar5%
Huntington3%
7 mi
median commute distance
398
jobs based in Institute
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Institute faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities. Since 2004, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Institute.
69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
7
paid flood claims since 2004
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Institute
Institute has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 25° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–46°
Spring43–68°
Summer63–86°
Fall45–69°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Institute stands out in West Virginia and nationally: a larger share of its adults report frequent mental distress
25% of adults report frequent mental distress in Institute. Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Institute. 14% of adults report frequent physical distress in Institute.
| Institute | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 21% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 34% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 17% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 40% | 36% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
12 better10 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Institute | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 3.9% | 9.6% |
| Fewer adults with COPD | 6.2% | 10.6% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 28.1% | 16.2% |
Thomas Memorial Hospital
2.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Institute
15pages on Institute
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Institute
West Virginia State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · InstituteIn town$9,570 in-state tuitionBridgeValley Community & Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · South Charleston4.1 mi$5,800 in-state tuitionUniversity of CharlestonUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Charleston8.7 mi$33,800 tuition
College town 43 of every 100 Institute residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Small town
521 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
NitroInstitute
Landmarks
3 places in Institute on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Institute
Unincorporated community in West Virginia, United States
Institute is an unincorporated community on the Kanawha River in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. Interstate 64 and West Virginia Route 25 pass by the community, which has grown to intermingle with nearby Dunbar. As of the 2020 census, Institute had a population of 569. The town was founded by a formerly enslaved woman, Mary Barnes. Institute is home to West Virginia State University (formerly the West Virginia Colored Institute and the source of the town's toponym) and the West Virginia State Police Academy. Its economy includes several major industrial plants, which have had a number of environmental incidents polluting the local community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Elevation
- 620 ft
- ZIP code
- 25112
Questions about Institute
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Institute, WV a good place to live?
Institute has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.