Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley is a city located in
Raleigh County, West Virginia. As of the
2000 census, the city had a total population of 17,254. It is the
county seat of
Raleigh County6.
Geography
\nBeckley is located at 37°46'47" North, 81°10'59" West (37.779764, -81.183193)1.
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.8
km² (9.2
mi²). 23.8 km² (9.2 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
\nAs of the census1 of
2000, there are 17,254 people, 7,651 households, and 4,590 families residing in the city. The
population density is 724.1/km² (1,874.9/mi²). There are 8,731 housing units at an average density of 366.4/km² (948.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 73.64% White, 22.89%
African American, 0.14%
Native American, 1.89%
Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. 0.74% of the population are
Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
There are 7,651 households out of which 25.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% are married couples living together, 16.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% are non-families. 35.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 16.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.18 and the average family size is 2.83.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 42 years. For every 100 females there are 82.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 77.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $28,122, and the median income for a family is $38,110. Males have a median income of $35,780 versus $23,239 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,912. 20.9% of the population and 16.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 33.9% are under the age of 18 and 9.5% are 65 or older.