25865 ZIP Code — Lester, WV

Raleigh County, West Virginia

ZIP code 25865 is located in Lester, West Virginia, within Raleigh County. It covers approximately 30.46 square miles and serves a population of 1,372 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 304.

About ZIP code 25865

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $159,000. Owner-occupancy is high at 90%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $37,422. Poverty affects 33% of residents, above the national average. 58% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is natural resources, construction, and trades, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 31 minutes is near the national average. Remote work is prevalent — 21% of workers work from home.

College attainment at 11% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

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

Overall, ZIP code 25865 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, a high rate of remote workers, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,372

population

30.46

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

25865 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 25865

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 25865. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Lester	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

25932 Surveyor (2.2 mi) 25920 Slab Fork (3 mi) 25844 Glen Daniel (4 mi) 25839 Fairdale (4.8 mi) 25827 Crab Orchard (4.9 mi) 25817 Bolt (5.4 mi) 25848 Glen Rogers (6.7 mi) 25908 Princewick (7.6 mi) 25801 Beckley (7.6 mi) 25823 Coal City (7.7 mi) 25007 Arnett (7.9 mi) 25915 Rhodell (8.7 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,372
Population density	45 / sq mi
State FIPS	54
County FIPS	081

Geography
Land area	30.46 sq mi
Water area	0.09 sq mi
Latitude	37.7408
Longitude	-81.3261
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	304

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	69.1%	54.8%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	20.5%	27.9%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	10.4%	15.5%	15.8%
Over $200k	0.0%	1.8%	3.1%

Demographics & statistics

1,372

Population

People per sq mi

62.5

Median age

$37,422

Median household income

$24,168

Per capita income

$159,000

Median home value

$575

Median monthly rent

89.9%

Home ownership

33.1%

Poverty rate

2.4%

Unemployment

699

Housing units

11.1%

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

116

60–64

111

152

65–74

146

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	232	16.9%
18 and over	1,140	83.1%
65 and over	472	34.4%
Median age	62.5 years

Race & ethnicity

White 94.4%

Two or more races 3.7%

Black or African American 1.7%

Hispanic or Latino 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	1,297	94.4%
Two or more races	51	3.7%
Black or African American	24	1.7%
Hispanic or Latino	2	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	69.1%	54.8%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	20.5%	27.9%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	10.4%	15.5%	15.8%
Over $200k	0.0%	1.8%	3.1%

Under $10k 17.6%

$10k–$15k 9.8%

$15k–$25k 4.6%

$25k–$35k 10.4%

$35k–$50k 16.3%

$50k–$75k 21.0%

$75k–$100k 9.0%

$100k–$150k 4.2%

$150k–$200k 7.0%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	17.6%
$10k–$15k	9.8%
$15k–$25k	4.6%
$25k–$35k	10.4%
$35k–$50k	16.3%
$50k–$75k	21.0%
$75k–$100k	9.0%
$100k–$150k	4.2%
$150k–$200k	7.0%
Median income	$37,422

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 10.9%

$50k–$100k 16.5%

$100k–$150k 14.3%

$150k–$200k 26.0%

$200k–$300k 32.3%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$159,000
Median rent / month	$575
Owner occupied	89.9%
Renter occupied	10.1%
Vacant	19.4%
Single-family detached	75.3%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	24.7%
Median rooms	6.4
Avg household size (owned)	2.30

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	7.1%
2000–2009	20.8%
1990–1999	18.7%
1980–1989	17.1%
1970–1979	19.8%
1960–1969	2.4%
1950–1959	1.2%
1940–1949	11.3%
1939 or earlier	1.7%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	31.1%
3 bedrooms	46.6%
4 bedrooms	18.3%
5+ bedrooms	3.9%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	3.4%
1 vehicle	18.4%
2 vehicles	36.2%
3 or more	41.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	14.0%
Electricity	85.2%
Propane / LP gas	0.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	404	65.9%
Cohabiting couple	0	0.0%
Male householder, no spouse	106	17.3%
Female householder, no spouse	103	16.8%
Households with children under 18	177	28.9%
Households with seniors (65+)	297	48.5%
Average household size	2.24

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	19.4%	11.1%
Married	74.1%	78.9%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	1.7%	3.4%
Divorced	4.7%	6.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.9%

Some HS, no diploma 9.1%

HS graduate 65.6%

Some college, no degree 2.7%

Associate's degree 6.6%

Bachelor's degree 8.3%

Graduate / professional 2.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	86.0%
Bachelor's or higher	11.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	10	8.0%
Kindergarten	25	20.0%
Elementary school	59	47.2%
High school	28	22.4%
College / grad school	3	2.4%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 26.7%

Construction 26.4%

Arts, food & hospitality 14.0%

Professional & management 11.5%

Agriculture & mining 11.2%

Retail trade 4.0%

Wholesale trade 2.5%

Transportation & utilities 2.2%

Finance & real estate 1.0%

Public administration 0.5%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	29.7%
Service	25.4%
Sales & office	2.7%
Natural resources & construction	30.7%
Production & transportation	11.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	82.8%
Government	17.0%
Self-employed	0.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	75.8%
Carpool	3.2%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	20.9%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	30.5

Poverty

All people 33.1%

Under 18 years 41.8%

18 and over 31.3%

Married-couple families 28.0%

Female-led households 56.3%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	58.4%
Retirement income	43.1%
Supplemental Security	4.1%
Cash public assistance	3.3%
Food stamps / SNAP	8.2%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	43.8%
High blood pressure	46.4%
High cholesterol	40.5%
Diabetes	14.9%
Heart disease	9.1%
Stroke	4.1%
Asthma	11.8%
Arthritis	37.1%
Kidney disease	3.6%
Pulmonary disease	12.7%
Cancer	7.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	27.6%
Binge drinking	11.4%
No physical activity	31.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	42.9%
Depression	28.9%
Fair or poor health	23.5%
Poor mental health	18.9%
Poor physical health	15.9%
No health insurance	11.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	79.1%
Visited dentist	54.3%
Cholesterol screening	89.2%
Teeth loss	24.0%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	66	5.8%

Disability	%
Any disability	20.2%
Under 18	5.2%
18–64 years	18.3%
65 and over	30.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	74.0%
Public insurance	65.4%
No insurance	1.4%
Uninsured under 19	3.9%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,342	97.8%
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)	1,372	100.0%
Born in same state	1,372	100.0%
Born in different state	1,311	95.6%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	690	50.3%
Italian	308	22.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	3	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	44.7%
Internet access	92.5%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 25865

What city is ZIP code 25865 in?

ZIP code 25865 is primarily assigned to Lester, West Virginia.

What county is ZIP code 25865 in?

ZIP code 25865 falls within Raleigh County, West Virginia.

Does ZIP code 25865 have an older population?

34% of residents in ZIP code 25865 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 25865?

33% of residents in ZIP code 25865 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 25865 have a large retiree population?

58% of households in ZIP code 25865 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 25865 mostly owner-occupied?

90% of occupied units in ZIP code 25865 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 25865 in?

ZIP code 25865 observes the EST timezone.