26851 ZIP Code — Wardensville, WV

Hardy County, West Virginia

ZIP code 26851 is located in Wardensville, West Virginia, within Hardy County. It covers approximately 102.01 square miles and serves a population of 1,472 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 304/681.

About ZIP code 26851

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $184,600. Owner-occupancy is high at 83%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $58,281. 45% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with retail trade as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 43 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.

College attainment at 10% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 26851 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,472

population

102.01

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

26851 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 26851

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 26851. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Wardensville	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

22644 Maurertown (6.5 mi) 26801 Baker (9.1 mi) 26810 Lost City (9.5 mi) 22654 Star Tannery (10.1 mi) 22664 Woodstock (10.4 mi) 22660 Toms Brook (11.7 mi) 22824 Edinburg (12.6 mi) 26808 High View (13.2 mi) 26865 Yellow Spring (13.3 mi) 22641 Strasburg (13.6 mi) 26755 Rio (13.7 mi) 22657 Strasburg (15.1 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,472
Population density	14 / sq mi
State FIPS	54
County FIPS	031

Geography
Land area	102.01 sq mi
Water area	0.35 sq mi
Latitude	39.0223
Longitude	-78.6314
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	49.8%	52.1%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	29.8%	31.0%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	17.8%	14.6%	15.8%
Over $200k	2.5%	2.3%	3.1%

Demographics & statistics

1,472

Population

People per sq mi

54.2

Median age

$58,281

Median household income

$36,943

Per capita income

$184,600

Median home value

$846

Median monthly rent

83.2%

Home ownership

13.2%

Poverty rate

2.6%

Unemployment

1,253

Housing units

9.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

177

45–54

176

55–59

60–64

65–74

135

75–84

133

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	126	8.6%
18 and over	1,346	91.4%
65 and over	477	32.4%
Median age	54.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 93.1%

Hispanic or Latino 3%

Other race 2%

Two or more races 1.6%

Black or African American 0.2%

Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	1,412	93.1%
Hispanic or Latino	45	3%
Other race	30	2%
Two or more races	25	1.6%
Black or African American	3	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	49.8%	52.1%	51.6%
$50k – $100k	29.8%	31.0%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	17.8%	14.6%	15.8%
Over $200k	2.5%	2.3%	3.1%

Under $10k 3.7%

$10k–$15k 5.9%

$15k–$25k 3.2%

$25k–$35k 5.5%

$35k–$50k 27.0%

$50k–$75k 18.7%

$75k–$100k 12.9%

$100k–$150k 19.6%

$150k–$200k 2.3%

$200k+ 1.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	3.7%
$10k–$15k	5.9%
$15k–$25k	3.2%
$25k–$35k	5.5%
$35k–$50k	27.0%
$50k–$75k	18.7%
$75k–$100k	12.9%
$100k–$150k	19.6%
$150k–$200k	2.3%
$200k+	1.2%
Median income	$58,281

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 5.8%

$50k–$100k 16.5%

$100k–$150k 7.4%

$150k–$200k 23.5%

$200k–$300k 23.5%

$300k–$500k 23.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$184,600
Median rent / month	$846
Owner occupied	83.2%
Renter occupied	16.8%
Vacant	43.6%
Single-family detached	85.5%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	8.7%
Median rooms	6.0
Avg household size (owned)	1.93

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	2.2%
2000–2009	13.0%
1990–1999	24.1%
1980–1989	16.9%
1970–1979	16.0%
1960–1969	14.7%
1950–1959	6.6%
1940–1949	0.8%
1939 or earlier	5.7%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.7%
1 bedroom	5.7%
2 bedrooms	14.4%
3 bedrooms	59.7%
4 bedrooms	15.6%
5+ bedrooms	2.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.0%
1 vehicle	19.2%
2 vehicles	39.3%
3 or more	37.5%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	3.8%
Electricity	44.0%
Propane / LP gas	19.2%
Fuel oil	9.6%
Wood	23.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	377	48.3%
Cohabiting couple	19	2.4%
Male householder, no spouse	211	27.0%
Female householder, no spouse	174	22.3%
Households with children under 18	129	16.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	281	36.0%
Average household size	1.85

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	23.3%	10.9%
Married	53.5%	64.8%
Separated	1.6%	0.4%
Widowed	2.0%	5.6%
Divorced	19.7%	18.2%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.7%

Some HS, no diploma 4.8%

HS graduate 64.7%

Some college, no degree 15.9%

Associate's degree 1.0%

Bachelor's degree 6.7%

Graduate / professional 3.2%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	91.4%
Bachelor's or higher	9.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	61	55.0%
High school	34	30.6%
College / grad school	16	14.4%

Employment

Industry of employment

Retail trade 23.1%

Construction 13.7%

Education & healthcare 11.2%

Professional & management 9.8%

Other services 9.0%

Wholesale trade 7.6%

Agriculture & mining 7.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 7.1%

Transportation & utilities 5.2%

Manufacturing 2.5%

Finance & real estate 1.9%

Public administration 1.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	22.1%
Service	14.4%
Sales & office	13.6%
Natural resources & construction	21.7%
Production & transportation	28.2%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	84.9%
Government	10.1%
Self-employed	5.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	92.4%
Carpool	3.3%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	1.4%
Work from home	1.9%
Other means	1.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	43.3

Poverty

All people 13.2%

Under 18 years 19.5%

18 and over 12.6%

Married-couple families 10.3%

Female-led households 14.7%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.6%
Retirement income	26.1%
Supplemental Security	1.0%
Cash public assistance	2.8%
Food stamps / SNAP	5.9%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	37.3%
High blood pressure	39.4%
High cholesterol	38.3%
Diabetes	12.9%
Heart disease	8.1%
Stroke	3.3%
Asthma	10.9%
Arthritis	34.8%
Kidney disease	3.1%
Pulmonary disease	10.2%
Cancer	7.5%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	22.1%
Binge drinking	12.8%
No physical activity	27.5%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	38.9%
Depression	26.8%
Fair or poor health	18.8%
Poor mental health	16.9%
Poor physical health	13.3%
No health insurance	10.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	80.7%
Visited dentist	58.2%
Cholesterol screening	91.2%
Teeth loss	16.4%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	126	9.4%

Disability	%
Any disability	19.9%
Under 18	20.6%
18–64 years	9.3%
65 and over	39.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	75.7%
Public insurance	41.2%
No insurance	8.6%
Uninsured under 19	24.3%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,445	98.2%
Spanish	4	0.3%
Other Indo-European	4	0.3%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,471	99.9%
Born in same state	1,471	99.9%
Born in different state	403	27.4%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	1	0.1%
Not a US citizen	1	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	216	14.7%
Arab	131	8.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
French	85	5.8%
English	4	0.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	53.1%
Internet access	92.8%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 26851

What city is ZIP code 26851 in?

ZIP code 26851 is primarily assigned to Wardensville, West Virginia.

What county is ZIP code 26851 in?

ZIP code 26851 falls within Hardy County, West Virginia.

Does ZIP code 26851 have an older population?

32% of residents in ZIP code 26851 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 26851?

10% 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 26851 have a large retiree population?

45% of households in ZIP code 26851 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 26851 mostly owner-occupied?

83% of occupied units in ZIP code 26851 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 26851 in?

ZIP code 26851 observes the EST timezone.