26656 ZIP Code — Belva, WV

Nicholas County, West Virginia

ZIP code 26656 is located in Belva, West Virginia, within Nicholas County. It covers approximately 15.74 square miles and serves a population of 311 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 304/681.

About ZIP code 26656

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1950s, giving the area an established character.

Median household income is $60,952. Poverty affects 24% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 22% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 50% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry.

College attainment at 17% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (16%), smoking (29%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 34%.

Overall, ZIP code 26656 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

311

population

15.74

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

26656 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 26656

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 26656. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Belva	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

25059 Dixie (2.7 mi) 26690 Swiss (3.8 mi) 25125 Lizemores (4.5 mi) 25085 Gauley Bridge (5.1 mi) 25111 Indore (7.7 mi) 25812 Ansted (7.8 mi) 25088 Glen (7.9 mi) 25160 Pond Gap (8.1 mi) 25938 Victor (8.2 mi) 25019 Bickmore (8.7 mi) 25862 Lansing (11.8 mi) 25132 Mammoth (11.8 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	311
Population density	20 / sq mi
State FIPS	54
County FIPS	067

Geography
Land area	15.74 sq mi
Water area	0.14 sq mi
Latitude	38.2577
Longitude	-81.1400
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	304/681

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	72.0%	59.2%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	28.0%	28.3%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	11.8%	15.8%
Over $200k	0.0%	0.7%	3.1%

Demographics & statistics

311

Population

People per sq mi

28.5

Median age

$60,952

Median household income

$21,713

Per capita income

Median home value

Median monthly rent

100.0%

Home ownership

24.1%

Poverty rate

1.2%

Unemployment

146

Housing units

17.3%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	97	31.2%
18 and over	214	68.8%
65 and over	56	18.0%
Median age	28.5 years

Race & ethnicity

White 93.6%

Two or more races 6.4%

Group	Count	%
White	291	93.6%
Two or more races	20	6.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	72.0%	59.2%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	28.0%	28.3%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	11.8%	15.8%
Over $200k	0.0%	0.7%	3.1%

$10k–$15k 0.8%

$15k–$25k 16.1%

$25k–$35k 13.6%

$35k–$50k 5.9%

$50k–$75k 55.1%

$75k–$100k 6.8%

$100k–$150k 1.7%

Range	% of households
$10k–$15k	0.8%
$15k–$25k	16.1%
$25k–$35k	13.6%
$35k–$50k	5.9%
$50k–$75k	55.1%
$75k–$100k	6.8%
$100k–$150k	1.7%
Median income	$60,952

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 24.6%

$50k–$100k 20.3%

$100k–$150k 6.8%

$150k–$200k 35.6%

$200k–$300k 12.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$0
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	100.0%
Renter occupied	0.0%
Vacant	19.2%
Single-family detached	76.0%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	24.0%
Median rooms	6.8
Avg household size (owned)	2.64

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.0%
2000–2009	6.8%
1990–1999	0.0%
1980–1989	14.4%
1970–1979	21.9%
1960–1969	5.5%
1950–1959	40.4%
1940–1949	11.0%
1939 or earlier	0.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	29.5%
3 bedrooms	30.8%
4 bedrooms	39.7%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	11.9%
1 vehicle	24.6%
2 vehicles	56.8%
3 or more	6.8%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	74.6%
Electricity	18.6%
Wood	6.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	75	63.6%
Cohabiting couple	0	0.0%
Male householder, no spouse	14	11.9%
Female householder, no spouse	29	24.6%
Households with children under 18	57	48.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	43	36.4%
Average household size	2.64

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	12.7%	18.2%
Married	73.5%	51.1%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	6.9%	21.2%
Divorced	6.9%	9.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.7%

Some HS, no diploma 10.7%

HS graduate 42.1%

Some college, no degree 5.6%

Associate's degree 19.6%

Bachelor's degree 17.3%

Graduate / professional 0.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	84.6%
Bachelor's or higher	17.3%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	23	34.8%
High school	43	65.2%
College / grad school	0	0.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 72.8%

Retail trade 16.0%

Professional & management 6.2%

Transportation & utilities 2.5%

Information 2.5%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	54.3%
Service	6.2%
Sales & office	37.0%
Natural resources & construction	2.5%
Production & transportation	0.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	87.7%
Government	12.3%
Self-employed	0.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	100.0%
Carpool	0.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	0.0%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	0.0

Poverty

All people 24.1%

Under 18 years 62.9%

18 and over 6.5%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 100.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	50.0%
Retirement income	44.1%
Supplemental Security	11.0%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	22.0%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	38.6%
High blood pressure	45.3%
High cholesterol	38.6%
Diabetes	15.5%
Heart disease	10.2%
Stroke	4.6%
Asthma	12.0%
Arthritis	38.6%
Kidney disease	3.9%
Pulmonary disease	14.3%
Cancer	7.6%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	28.5%
Binge drinking	11.4%
No physical activity	36.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	40.9%
Depression	28.9%
Fair or poor health	26.1%
Poor mental health	19.7%
Poor physical health	17.3%
No health insurance	13.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	80.7%
Visited dentist	51.4%
Cholesterol screening	87.7%
Teeth loss	27.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	7	3.3%

Disability	%
Any disability	33.8%
Under 18	18.6%
18–64 years	27.8%
65 and over	76.8%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	54.3%
Public insurance	57.9%
No insurance	4.2%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	280	90.0%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	311	100.0%
Born in same state	311	100.0%
Born in different state	248	79.7%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	26	8.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	19	6.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	37.9%
Internet access	79.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 26656

What city is ZIP code 26656 in?

ZIP code 26656 is primarily assigned to Belva, West Virginia.

What county is ZIP code 26656 in?

ZIP code 26656 falls within Nicholas County, West Virginia.

Is ZIP code 26656 family-oriented?

31% of residents in ZIP code 26656 are under 18, reflecting a younger, family-oriented community.

Does ZIP code 26656 have a large retiree population?

50% of households in ZIP code 26656 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26656?

24% of residents in ZIP code 26656 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What are the health statistics for ZIP code 26656?

Health data for ZIP code 26656 shows elevated rates of diabetes (16%) and smoking (29%) compared to national benchmarks.

What timezone is ZIP code 26656 in?

ZIP code 26656 observes the EST timezone.