Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
35% of residents live below the poverty line in Marlinton, above both West Virginia’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 62 in West Virginia we compare has a lower January low than Marlinton. Marlinton has 6 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Pocahontas Times Print Shop and Frank and Anna Hunter House. Marlinton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Marlinton beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 5 in 1890, a peak of 1,645 in 1950, 998 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1921 and 3 maps from 1923 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Marlinton, 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 Marlinton.
Among working residents in Marlinton, 24% work locally. Its middle household income is $37,000, below both the West Virginia town median ($59,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). For Marlinton, the mean commuting time is 18 minutes. Since 2013, Marlinton has lost 176 jobs, to 805 in 2023.
| Marlinton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 24% | 14% | 8% |
| Median household income | $37,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
One of its 2 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed. The Pocahontas County Schools runs its public schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlinton Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 209 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 86% of U.S. communities. The national flood insurance program has paid 492 claims in Marlinton since 1978. 83% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 10%. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Marlinton after 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2016.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Marlinton has lost 3.8% of its people since 2020, down to 945 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Adults 35 to 64 are 30% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 28% of residents (21% statewide). In Marlinton, 25% of residents are 65 or older.
| Marlinton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 25% | 21% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 21% | 29% | 29% |
| Median age | 42.5 years | 42.2 years | 40.5 years |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.9 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Marlinton | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.5% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.8% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 14.4% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.3% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 4.8% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.7% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.2% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 14.2% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 13.6% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 44.7% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.4% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.3% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 12.4% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.7% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
Marlinton’s peak summer temperature comes in at 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 4 have a higher share of adults who get no exercise outside work than Marlinton. For adults in the town, the share who say their health is fair or poor is 31%. CDC measures, 32 in all: Marlinton beats West Virginia on 1 and trails on 14. Nearly a fifth of adults here have diabetes; 49% have high blood pressure.
| Marlinton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 17% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 44% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 18% | 14% |
| What stands out | Marlinton | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.2% | 79.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 26.6% | 19.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
In Marlinton, the density of trails is 0.7 miles per square mile. Trails run 1.6 miles in 4 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Stillwell Park, at 57 acres.
| Marlinton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.7% | 2.5% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Stillwell Park | — | 57 |
| 2. Monongahela National Forest | — | 29 |
| 3. Rimel Wildlife Management Area | — | 29 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
For Marlinton, the median rent is $722 a month. Values rose 4.4% in the 12 months to September 2026. The share of households in Marlinton who live in a home they own: 60%.
| Marlinton | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 60% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $722 a month | $878 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
None within 15 miles of Marlinton; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Marlinton residents are enrolled in college, about the same as West Virginia.
Where Marlinton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
6 places in Marlinton on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in West Virginia, United States
Marlinton is a town in and the county seat of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 998 at the 2020 census. Located along the Greenbrier River, it is known for its scenery.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Marlinton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
