24868 ZIP Code — Northfork, WV

Mcdowell County, West Virginia

ZIP code 24868 is located in Northfork, West Virginia, within Mcdowell County. It covers approximately 33.64 square miles and serves a population of 1,345 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 304/681.

About ZIP code 24868

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $29,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 90%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $22,167. Poverty affects 50% of residents, above the national average. 69% 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 28 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 16% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of obesity (50%), diabetes (22%), smoking (32%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 37%.

Overall, ZIP code 24868 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,345

population

33.64

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

24868 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 24868

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 24868. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Northfork	Acceptable
Northfork	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

24808 Anawalt (4.2 mi) 24715 Bramwell (5.5 mi) 24801 Welch (6.7 mi) 24736 Matoaka (7.1 mi) 24747 Rock (8.8 mi) 24613 Falls Mills (9.7 mi) 24605 Bluefield (10.1 mi) 24830 Elbert (10.1 mi) 24733 Lashmeet (10.5 mi) 24701 Bluefield (12.1 mi) 25928 Stephenson (12.7 mi) 24731 Kegley (13.3 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,345
Population density	40 / sq mi
State FIPS	54
County FIPS	047

Geography
Land area	33.64 sq mi
Water area	0.02 sq mi
Latitude	37.4011
Longitude	-81.3914
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	81.8%	76.7%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	13.0%	17.5%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	5.3%	5.3%	15.8%
Over $200k	0.0%	0.6%	3.1%

Demographics & statistics

1,345

Population

People per sq mi

56.2

Median age

$22,167

Median household income

$13,227

Per capita income

$29,400

Median home value

$629

Median monthly rent

89.8%

Home ownership

50.4%

Poverty rate

11.2%

Unemployment

863

Housing units

15.5%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

147

45–54

159

55–59

60–64

145

65–74

155

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	149	11.1%
18 and over	1,196	88.9%
65 and over	483	35.9%
Median age	56.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 61%

Black or African American 34.1%

Two or more races 4.9%

Group	Count	%
White	821	61%
Black or African American	458	34.1%
Two or more races	66	4.9%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	81.8%	76.7%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	13.0%	17.5%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	5.3%	5.3%	15.8%
Over $200k	0.0%	0.6%	3.1%

Under $10k 21.5%

$10k–$15k 14.2%

$15k–$25k 17.9%

$25k–$35k 8.7%

$35k–$50k 19.9%

$50k–$75k 10.8%

$75k–$100k 0.4%

$100k–$150k 6.7%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	21.5%
$10k–$15k	14.2%
$15k–$25k	17.9%
$25k–$35k	8.7%
$35k–$50k	19.9%
$50k–$75k	10.8%
$75k–$100k	0.4%
$100k–$150k	6.7%
Median income	$22,167

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 59.9%

$50k–$100k 34.6%

$100k–$150k 3.5%

$150k–$200k 1.5%

$300k–$500k 0.4%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$29,400
Median rent / month	$629
Owner occupied	89.8%
Renter occupied	10.2%
Vacant	44.5%
Single-family detached	76.5%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	18.5%
Median rooms	5.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.52

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	1.7%
2000–2009	12.0%
1990–1999	0.7%
1980–1989	5.1%
1970–1979	15.7%
1960–1969	2.2%
1950–1959	12.9%
1940–1949	11.3%
1939 or earlier	38.4%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.2%
1 bedroom	0.5%
2 bedrooms	36.2%
3 bedrooms	45.8%
4 bedrooms	14.8%
5+ bedrooms	1.5%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	16.5%
1 vehicle	36.6%
2 vehicles	40.6%
3 or more	6.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	2.0%
Electricity	86.8%
Propane / LP gas	1.6%
Fuel oil	2.8%
Wood	2.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	198	39.0%
Cohabiting couple	0	0.0%
Male householder, no spouse	90	17.7%
Female householder, no spouse	220	43.3%
Households with children under 18	46	9.1%
Households with seniors (65+)	302	59.4%
Average household size	2.65

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	35.3%	27.0%
Married	48.2%	34.4%
Separated	2.0%	0.0%
Widowed	11.0%	34.4%
Divorced	3.4%	4.1%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.2%

Some HS, no diploma 4.7%

HS graduate 58.4%

Some college, no degree 18.1%

Associate's degree 1.0%

Bachelor's degree 14.9%

Graduate / professional 0.6%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	93.1%
Bachelor's or higher	15.5%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	14	10.1%
Kindergarten	6	4.3%
Elementary school	66	47.5%
High school	32	23.0%
College / grad school	21	15.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 44.5%

Other services 15.2%

Public administration 15.2%

Retail trade 11.0%

Arts, food & hospitality 4.2%

Manufacturing 3.7%

Professional & management 2.6%

Information 2.1%

Agriculture & mining 1.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	42.4%
Service	20.4%
Sales & office	25.1%
Natural resources & construction	5.2%
Production & transportation	6.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	73.3%
Government	24.6%
Self-employed	2.1%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	79.6%
Carpool	3.7%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	3.7%
Work from home	13.1%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	27.8

Poverty

All people 50.4%

Under 18 years 55.3%

18 and over 49.8%

Married-couple families 32.8%

Female-led households 65.7%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	69.1%
Retirement income	36.4%
Supplemental Security	14.2%
Cash public assistance	1.8%
Food stamps / SNAP	14.8%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	50.1%
High blood pressure	51.8%
High cholesterol	39.8%
Diabetes	21.8%
Heart disease	11.0%
Stroke	6.4%
Asthma	14.3%
Arthritis	42.3%
Kidney disease	5.0%
Pulmonary disease	15.8%
Cancer	7.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	31.8%
Binge drinking	9.4%
No physical activity	43.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	47.2%
Depression	28.4%
Fair or poor health	34.1%
Poor mental health	20.6%
Poor physical health	20.6%
No health insurance	16.2%
Visited doctor (checkup)	83.7%
Visited dentist	39.0%
Cholesterol screening	89.2%
Teeth loss	34.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	125	10.5%

Disability	%
Any disability	36.6%
Under 18	10.1%
18–64 years	37.6%
65 and over	43.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	35.9%
Public insurance	78.9%
No insurance	9.7%
Uninsured under 19	26.6%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,302	96.8%
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)	1,338	99.5%
Born in same state	1,338	99.5%
Born in different state	1,083	80.5%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	7	0.5%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	266	19.8%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	170	12.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	37.8%
Internet access	80.9%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 24868

What city is ZIP code 24868 in?

ZIP code 24868 is primarily assigned to Northfork, West Virginia.

What county is ZIP code 24868 in?

ZIP code 24868 falls within Mcdowell County, West Virginia.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 24868?

50% of residents in ZIP code 24868 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 24868 have a large retiree population?

69% of households in ZIP code 24868 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 24868 have an older population?

36% of residents in ZIP code 24868 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Is ZIP code 24868 mostly owner-occupied?

90% of occupied units in ZIP code 24868 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 24868 in?

ZIP code 24868 observes the EST timezone.