26610 ZIP Code — Birch River, WV

Nicholas County, West Virginia

ZIP code 26610 is located in Birch River, West Virginia, within Nicholas County. It covers approximately 74.58 square miles and serves a population of 576 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 304/681.

About ZIP code 26610

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $125,600. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 70%.

Median household income is $44,706. 69% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with manufacturing as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 44 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.

College attainment at 14% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (15%), smoking (28%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 13% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and disability rates above the national average at 26%.

Overall, ZIP code 26610 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, a strong veteran community, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

576

population

74.58

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

26610 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 26610

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 26610. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Birch River	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

26617 Dille (5.8 mi) 26691 Tioga (7.1 mi) 26629 Little Birch (8 mi) 26660 Calvin (11.1 mi) 26203 Erbacon (11.3 mi) 26651 Summersville (11.8 mi) 26208 Camden On Gauley (12.1 mi) 26623 Frametown (12.3 mi) 25043 Clay (12.7 mi) 25063 Duck (12.7 mi) 26601 Sutton (13.2 mi) 26205 Craigsville (13.3 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	576
Population density	8 / sq mi
State FIPS	54
County FIPS	067

Geography
Land area	74.58 sq mi
Water area	0.17 sq mi
Latitude	38.4789
Longitude	-80.7659
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	71.7%	59.2%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	20.4%	28.3%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	6.2%	11.8%	15.8%
Over $200k	1.8%	0.7%	3.1%

Demographics & statistics

576

Population

People per sq mi

61.2

Median age

$44,706

Median household income

$27,543

Per capita income

$125,600

Median home value

$690

Median monthly rent

69.6%

Home ownership

9.7%

Poverty rate

1.2%

Unemployment

343

Housing units

14.3%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	95	16.5%
18 and over	481	83.5%
65 and over	238	41.3%
Median age	61.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 96.4%

Two or more races 2.3%

Black or African American 1.4%

Group	Count	%
White	555	96.4%
Two or more races	13	2.3%
Black or African American	8	1.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	71.7%	59.2%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	20.4%	28.3%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	6.2%	11.8%	15.8%
Over $200k	1.8%	0.7%	3.1%

$10k–$15k 15.7%

$15k–$25k 2.5%

$25k–$35k 10.4%

$35k–$50k 36.8%

$50k–$75k 13.2%

$75k–$100k 15.4%

$100k–$150k 2.5%

$150k–$200k 3.6%

Range	% of households
$10k–$15k	15.7%
$15k–$25k	2.5%
$25k–$35k	10.4%
$35k–$50k	36.8%
$50k–$75k	13.2%
$75k–$100k	15.4%
$100k–$150k	2.5%
$150k–$200k	3.6%
Median income	$44,706

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 9.7%

$50k–$100k 30.8%

$100k–$150k 19.5%

$150k–$200k 7.2%

$200k–$300k 25.1%

$500k–$1M 7.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$125,600
Median rent / month	$690
Owner occupied	69.6%
Renter occupied	30.4%
Vacant	34.6%
Single-family detached	46.7%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	48.1%
Median rooms	5.3
Avg household size (owned)	2.38

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	10.5%
2000–2009	25.7%
1990–1999	12.1%
1980–1989	10.5%
1970–1979	4.0%
1960–1969	13.3%
1950–1959	1.9%
1940–1949	3.3%
1939 or earlier	18.7%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.9%
1 bedroom	9.8%
2 bedrooms	23.4%
3 bedrooms	43.2%
4 bedrooms	15.9%
5+ bedrooms	5.8%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	47.5%
2 vehicles	25.7%
3 or more	26.8%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	24.6%
Electricity	36.4%
Propane / LP gas	14.3%
Fuel oil	2.9%
Wood	9.6%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	148	52.9%
Cohabiting couple	19	6.8%
Male householder, no spouse	47	16.8%
Female householder, no spouse	66	23.6%
Households with children under 18	35	12.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	181	64.6%
Average household size	2.06

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	4.7%	21.7%
Married	71.1%	47.9%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	8.6%	25.2%
Divorced	15.5%	5.2%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.5%

Some HS, no diploma 5.1%

HS graduate 53.7%

Some college, no degree 14.9%

Associate's degree 7.5%

Bachelor's degree 4.9%

Graduate / professional 9.4%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	90.4%
Bachelor's or higher	14.3%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	10	15.6%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	13	20.3%
High school	41	64.1%
College / grad school	0	0.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 22.0%

Education & healthcare 18.2%

Agriculture & mining 11.3%

Transportation & utilities 10.1%

Public administration 10.1%

Retail trade 9.4%

Construction 8.2%

Professional & management 5.7%

Wholesale trade 5.0%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	20.8%
Service	14.5%
Sales & office	5.0%
Natural resources & construction	13.2%
Production & transportation	46.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	71.7%
Government	22.0%
Self-employed	6.3%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	90.4%
Carpool	5.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	3.7%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	43.9

Poverty

All people 9.7%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 11.6%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	69.3%
Retirement income	37.1%
Supplemental Security	3.9%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	5.0%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	39.8%
High blood pressure	45.4%
High cholesterol	41.0%
Diabetes	15.4%
Heart disease	9.6%
Stroke	4.2%
Asthma	11.8%
Arthritis	38.0%
Kidney disease	3.7%
Pulmonary disease	13.6%
Cancer	7.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	28.3%
Binge drinking	11.7%
No physical activity	34.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	40.8%
Depression	28.4%
Fair or poor health	25.0%
Poor mental health	19.1%
Poor physical health	16.8%
No health insurance	12.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	80.4%
Visited dentist	53.1%
Cholesterol screening	88.8%
Teeth loss	24.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	63	13.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	25.7%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	23.0%
65 and over	38.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	65.1%
Public insurance	62.5%
No insurance	1.6%
Uninsured under 19	9.5%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	545	94.6%
Spanish	8	1.5%
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)	576	100.0%
Born in same state	576	100.0%
Born in different state	496	86.1%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	116	20.1%
Italian	100	17.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	52	9%
English	15	2.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	48.6%
Internet access	75.7%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 26610

What city is ZIP code 26610 in?

ZIP code 26610 is primarily assigned to Birch River, West Virginia.

What county is ZIP code 26610 in?

ZIP code 26610 falls within Nicholas County, West Virginia.

Does ZIP code 26610 have a large retiree population?

69% of households in ZIP code 26610 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 26610 have an older population?

41% of residents in ZIP code 26610 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 26610?

14% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 26610 have a large veteran population?

13% of civilians in ZIP code 26610 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 26610 in?

ZIP code 26610 observes the EST timezone.