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West Virginia ZIP Codes
Preston County
Independence, WV
26374
26374 ZIP Code — Independence, WV
Preston County, West Virginia
ZIP code 26374 is located in
Independence ,
West Virginia ,
within Preston County .
It covers approximately 35.95 square miles and serves a population of
1,884 residents.
This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone,
served by area code 304 .
About ZIP code 26374
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $151,300. Owner-occupancy is high at 95%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $51,932. The poverty rate of 5% is below the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 17% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 47% 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. The average commute of 31 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 24% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (25%) compared to national benchmarks.
Overall, ZIP code 26374 reflects a community defined by high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.
26374 ZIP code map
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Cities in ZIP code 26374
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 26374. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
Demographics
updated 05/2026
Population
Total population
1,884
Population density
52 / sq mi
State FIPS
54
County FIPS
077
Geography
Land area
35.95 sq mi
Water area
0.04 sq mi
Latitude
39.4544
Longitude
-79.8908
Timezone
Eastern (ET)
Area code
304
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
51.1%
48.6%
51.6%
$50k – $100k
35.1%
29.8%
29.4%
$100k – $200k
12.1%
19.3%
15.8%
Over $200k
1.7%
2.3%
3.1%
Demographics & statistics
$51,932
Median household income
$151,300
Median home value
24.4%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Age summary
Group Count % Under 18 475 25.2% 18 and over 1,409 74.8% 65 and over 518 27.5% Median age 42.7 years
Race & ethnicity
Black or African American
0.8%
Group Count % White 1,844 97.9% Two or more races 24 1.3% Black or African American 16 0.8%
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
51.1%
48.6%
51.6%
$50k – $100k
35.1%
29.8%
29.4%
$100k – $200k
12.1%
19.3%
15.8%
Over $200k
1.7%
2.3%
3.1%
Range % of households $10k–$15k 2.9% $15k–$25k 5.7% $25k–$35k 18.9% $35k–$50k 21.2% $50k–$75k 13.9% $75k–$100k 16.7% $100k–$150k 11.4% $150k–$200k 3.7% $200k+ 5.6% Median income $51,932
Housing
Housing overview
Metric Value Median home value $151,300 Median rent / month $904 Owner occupied 95.2% Renter occupied 4.8% Vacant 8.8% Single-family detached 76.5% Large apartment buildings 0.0% Mobile homes 20.7% Median rooms 5.7 Avg household size (owned) 2.66
Year built
Era % 2020 or later 1.6% 2010–2019 7.2% 2000–2009 12.6% 1990–1999 11.2% 1980–1989 17.5% 1970–1979 21.4% 1960–1969 8.5% 1950–1959 2.7% 1940–1949 4.8% 1939 or earlier 12.6%
Bedrooms
Size % of units No bedroom (studio) 0.0% 1 bedroom 2.0% 2 bedrooms 26.3% 3 bedrooms 60.9% 4 bedrooms 9.9% 5+ bedrooms 0.9%
Vehicles per household
Vehicles % of households No vehicle 2.5% 1 vehicle 18.9% 2 vehicles 61.1% 3 or more 17.6%
Heating fuel
Fuel type % Utility gas 14.8% Electricity 23.0% Propane / LP gas 28.6% Fuel oil 21.8% Wood 6.0%
Households & families
Household type Count % Married-couple family 478 70.0% Cohabiting couple 37 5.4% Male householder, no spouse 64 9.4% Female householder, no spouse 104 15.2% Households with children under 18 225 32.9% Households with seniors (65+) 356 52.1% Average household size 2.76
Marital status
Status Male Female Never married 20.4% 23.1% Married 69.9% 62.4% Separated 0.9% 0.6% Widowed 3.2% 7.2% Divorced 5.7% 6.7%
Education
Some college, no degree
10.2%
Graduate / professional
10.9%
Metric % HS diploma or higher 90.1% Bachelor's or higher 24.4%
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
Type Count % Nursery / preschool 10 2.3% Kindergarten 5 1.1% Elementary school 204 46.2% High school 136 30.8% College / grad school 87 19.7%
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
32.2%
Public administration
10.6%
Professional & management
9.8%
Finance & real estate
9.5%
Arts, food & hospitality
4.7%
Transportation & utilities
2.0%
Occupation
Category % Management, business & arts 27.1% Service 23.5% Sales & office 20.3% Natural resources & construction 7.8% Production & transportation 21.2%
Employment type
Type % Private sector 65.8% Government 23.2% Self-employed 10.9% Unpaid family workers 0.0%
Commute
Method % Drive alone 78.1% Carpool 9.0% Public transit 0.0% Walk 1.5% Work from home 11.4% Other means 0.0% Avg commute (minutes) 30.6
Poverty
Married-couple families
4.2%
Female-led households
15.4%
Income support
Source % of households Social Security 47.4% Retirement income 34.7% Supplemental Security 3.2% Cash public assistance 0.0% Food stamps / SNAP 17.3%
Health indicators
Condition % Obesity 40.9% High blood pressure 40.4% High cholesterol 36.0% Diabetes 12.9% Heart disease 8.3% Stroke 3.5% Asthma 11.4% Arthritis 35.4% Kidney disease 3.2% Pulmonary disease 11.3% Cancer 6.9%
Behavior / access % Smoking 24.9% Binge drinking 12.9% No physical activity 28.3% Less than 7 hrs sleep 38.1% Depression 27.3% Fair or poor health 20.8% Poor mental health 18.4% Poor physical health 14.5% No health insurance 11.6% Visited doctor (checkup) 81.7% Visited dentist 55.3% Cholesterol screening 89.2% Teeth loss 20.1%
Veterans & disability
Veterans Count % Civilian veterans 119 8.4%
Disability % Any disability 17.8% Under 18 9.1% 18–64 years 15.9% 65 and over 29.0%
Health insurance coverage
Type % Private insurance 67.0% Public insurance 51.0% No insurance 6.2% Uninsured under 19 2.1%
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
Language Count % English only 1,744 92.6% Spanish 10 0.6% Other Indo-European 0 0.0% Asian & Pacific Islander 10 0.6% Other languages 0 0.0%
Place of birth & citizenship
Origin Count % Native born (US) 1,873 99.4% Born in same state 1,873 99.4% Born in different state 1,668 88.5% Foreign born 0 0.0% Naturalized citizen 11 0.6% Not a US citizen 11 100.0%
Ancestry
Ancestry Count % Arab 531 28.2% Italian 432 22.9% French 159 8.4% English 76 4%
Ancestry Count % Dutch 11 0.6% Irish 10 0.5% Polish 9 0.5%
Technology access
Metric % of households Computer access 36.3% Internet access 90.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 26374
What city is ZIP code 26374 in?
ZIP code 26374 is primarily assigned to Independence, West Virginia.
What county is ZIP code 26374 in?
ZIP code 26374 falls within Preston County, West Virginia.
Is ZIP code 26374 mostly owner-occupied?
95% of occupied units in ZIP code 26374 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.
Does ZIP code 26374 have an older population?
28% of residents in ZIP code 26374 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.
Does ZIP code 26374 have a large retiree population?
47% of households in ZIP code 26374 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 26374?
The median home value in ZIP code 26374 is $151,300.
What timezone is ZIP code 26374 in?
ZIP code 26374 observes the EST timezone.
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