Population & age
- Total population
- 3,501
- Median age
- 46.3
Preston County · Morgantown, WV · Population 3,501
Tunnelton, WV (ZIP 26444) sits in Preston County within the Morgantown metro area. The page draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 27. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 45.5%. NCES lists 2 schools serving the area, 2 non-charter. 1 college or university serves the area, with median in-state tuition of $11,900. 20% of returns claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (IRS), a higher share than most ZIPs. Local establishments report average pay of $24,974 per worker (Census ZBP) — below the US average. FEMA has issued 24 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1972 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Annual precipitation averages 57.3" — a wet-climate ZCTA per NOAA's 1991–2020 Normals. County Health Rankings reports 11,315 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. West Virginia levies a graduated state income tax (top rate 4.82%); a household at the local median AGI of $50,679 would pay roughly $1,466/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 145 residents (36 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $51,940, fair market rent of $980 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $115,660, up 1.1% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
Studio
$780
/month
1 Bed
$780
/month
2 Bed
$980
/month
3 Bed
$1,180
/month
4 Bed
$1,610
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
$115,660
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) · as of March 2026
+1.1%
vs. March 2025
+32.0%
vs. March 2021
Morgantown, WV
Metropolitan statistical area
Source: Zillow Research, ZHVI All Homes (SFR, Condo/Co-op) Time Series (zillow.com/research/data). Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) is copyrighted by Zillow, Inc.
New housing units permitted
1
Across 1 permitted buildings. Total construction value: $305,000.
Single-family
1
100% of total units
Multifamily (2+ unit)
0
0% of total units
Single-family value
$305,000
construction value
Multifamily value
$0
construction value
Based on county-level data (2024).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (census.gov/construction/bps). Public domain. BPS reports annual residential building permits from local permit-issuing jurisdictions, aggregated to county. A permit reflects intent to build, not a completed unit — actual construction lags by 6-24 months for multifamily projects.
Tax returns filed
1,200
Average AGI
$50,679
Avg property tax
—
EITC participation
20.0%
Income distribution
Avg mortgage interest
—
Avg charitable contribution
—
Avg capital gains
$518
Avg total income tax
—
Source: IRS Statistics of Income — Individual Income Tax Statistics by ZIP Code (irs.gov). Public domain. Dollar columns reported in thousands by the IRS; figures here display real dollars. Total ZCTA AGI for the area was $60.8M across all reported brackets.
Business establishments
27
Total employment
77
Annual payroll
$1.9M
Average annual pay
$24,974
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Business Patterns (census.gov). Public domain. ZBP covers establishments with paid employees; Census suppresses employment and payroll values when fewer employers operate in a ZIP than would protect their confidentiality.
Average annual pay
$55,402
Average weekly wage
$1,065
Total employment
7,208
Total establishments
884
That is roughly 15% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment rate
4.1%
That tracks the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
14,294
Employed
13,703
Unemployed
591
Based on Preston County, WV data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
Federally Declared Disasters
24
Date Range
1972–2026
Most Recent Declaration
SEVERE WINTER STORM
Winter Storm — declared January 24, 2026 (DR-3639)
Incident period: January 23, 2026 – January 27, 2026
Top Incident Types
Individual Assistance
7
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
3
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
23
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
11
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
30-year averages (1991-2020) from the nearest GHCN-D weather station. Temperature and precipitation values reflect typical annual conditions, not any single year.
Avg. temperature
51.5°F
40.6° – 62.4°
Annual precipitation
57.3"
Annual snowfall
56.9"
Heating · cooling days
5,571 · 665.7
Annual base 65°F
Nearest station: ROWLESBURG 1, WV US, 5.8 miles from the centroid of Tunnelton, WV (ZIP 26444)
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (ncei.noaa.gov). Public domain.
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
11,315
That is roughly 3,115 years per 100,000 above the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
25%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
5.2
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
6.3
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
8.4%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
38
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
2,585
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
7.7
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
45%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
44%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 10.1% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Preston data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access status
Moderate food access challenges
24.9% of Preston County, WV residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
0.12
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
—
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
1.26
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.27
per 1,000 residents
Among low-income residents, 10.1% are low-access — those without a supermarket within 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural).
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Preston County, WV for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
FBI publishes crime data at the county level. Numbers below cover the primary county that contains this ZIP. Rates are per 100,000 residents in the area covered by reporting agencies.
Violent crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 7 reports
Property crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 40 reports
Homicide
3
Robbery
0
Burglary
1
Vehicle theft
6
County-level data for Preston (2024)
Source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (cde.ucr.cjis.gov). Public domain. Coverage varies by reporting agency; areas with partial agency coverage may understate true crime totals.
Net migration (2022-2023)
▲+145 people
+36 households • +$17.8M net AGI flow
Moved in
730households
1,284 people • $50.7M AGI
Moved out
694households
1,139 people • $32.8M AGI
Where new residents came from
Where departing residents went
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $69,388 versus departing households' $47,269.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
State-level rules that apply to every resident of ZIP 26444. Numbers reflect the most recent published year per source.
Income tax
4.82%
graduated · 4 brackets
Sales tax (combined)
6.59%
State 6.00% · avg local 0.59%
Property tax (effective)
0.44%
Median $344/year
Tax burden rank
24 of 50
10.00% of personal income
For ZIP 26444: At this ZIP's median AGI of $50,679, the estimated state income tax (before deductions) runs about $1,466 per year. Applied to this ZIP's typical home value of $115,660, that works out to roughly $508/year in property tax.
Program
No program
No program
SNAP eligibility
200% FPL
Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (raises gross income limit above federal 130% floor). No asset test.
Sources: Tax Foundation (state tax rates & brackets), Bipartisan Policy Center (paid family leave), USDA FNS (SNAP categorical eligibility).
Nearby ZIPs by distance
26410 (Newburg, 2.9 mi) · 26425 (Rowlesburg, 6.7 mi) · 26374 (7.7 mi) · 26537 (Kingwood, 8.4 mi) · 26440 (8.8 mi) · 26520 (Arthurdale, 9.2 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
All data on this page is sourced from federal government datasets · Not AI-generated · Methodology
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
38.0%
5.0pp above the 33.0% national rate.
45.5%
13.5pp above the 32.0% national rate.
31.2%
9.2pp above the 22.0% national rate.
81.1%
5.1pp above the 76.0% national rate.
8.6%
4.4pp below the 13.0% national rate.
16.8%
5.8pp above the 11.0% national rate.
2 schools serve this ZIP, including 2 non-charter.
| School | Type | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOUTH PRESTON SCHOOL | Public | -1–8 | 371 |
| FELLOWSVILLE ELEMENTARY | Public | -1–5 | 83 |
Schools listed from NCES Common Core of Data via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal.
Fresh.NCES CCD via Urban Institute EDP · Apr 27, 2026Colleges in this area
1
Median in-state tuition
$11,900
Median earnings (10 yr)
$34,642
Salem, WV · 26426
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
Tunnelton, WV (ZIP 26444) sits in Preston County within the Morgantown metro area. The page draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 27. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 45.5%. NCES lists 2 schools serving the area, 2 non-charter. 1 college or university serves the area, with median in-state tuition of $11,900. 20% of returns claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (IRS), a higher share than most ZIPs. Local establishments report average pay of $24,974 per worker (Census ZBP) — below the US average. FEMA has issued 24 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1972 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Annual precipitation averages 57.3" — a wet-climate ZCTA per NOAA's 1991–2020 Normals. County Health Rankings reports 11,315 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. West Virginia levies a graduated state income tax (top rate 4.82%); a household at the local median AGI of $50,679 would pay roughly $1,466/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 145 residents (36 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $51,940, fair market rent of $980 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $115,660, up 1.1% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
The two domains pull in different directions. Healthcare access reads strong, but the on-paper school count is on the lighter side — that’s less a quality signal and more a density one. Households here often look at districts a few ZIPs over for school choice while keeping their providers local.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits higher the national rate at 31.2%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
38.0%, which is 5.0 percentage points above the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
31.2%, which is 9.2 percentage points above the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
45.5%, which is 13.5 percentage points above the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
2 schools serve this ZIP, including 2 public schools (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 27, 2026). No charter schools are listed in this ZIP by NCES CCD.
No charter schools are listed in ZIP 26444 by NCES CCD (retrieved Apr 27, 2026).
No high schools are listed in this ZIP by NCES CCD (retrieved Apr 27, 2026).
3,501 people live in ZIP 26444, with a median age of 46.3 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
$51,940 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
In ZIP 26444, 88.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.0% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
In ZIP 26444, 8.7% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.4% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
11.7% of the population in ZIP 26444 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
71.1% of households in ZIP 26444 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
The typical home value in ZIP 26444 is $115,660, up 1.1% from a year ago (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
Home values are up 1.1% over the past year and up 32.0% over the past five years (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
The average Adjusted Gross Income reported on tax returns from ZIP 26444 (Tunnelton, WV) is $50,679 per return (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
Tax returns from ZIP 26444 report an average of $0 per return in real-estate tax deductions (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
0.0% of tax returns from ZIP 26444 (Tunnelton, WV) report Adjusted Gross Income of $200,000 or more (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
As of 2022, 27 business establishments operated in ZIP 26444 employing 77 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 26444 is $24,974, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 26444 ranks in the 49th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a moderate vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
Socioeconomic Status is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 26444, ranking in the 62th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
FEMA has recorded 24 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 26444 between 1972–2026 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
Severe Storm is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 26444, accounting for 8 of 24 declarations (33%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 26444 was "SEVERE WINTER STORM" — a winter storm declared in 2026 (DR-3639) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
1 college or university is listed near ZIP 26444 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including Salem University (retrieved May 2, 2026).
Median in-state tuition across 1 nearby institution is $11,900 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $34,642 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
ZIP 26444 has an average annual temperature of 51.5°F and 57.3" of annual precipitation based on the ROWLESBURG 1, WV US weather station 5.8 miles from the ZIP centroid (NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, retrieved May 8, 2026).
West Virginia has a graduated income tax with a top rate of 4.82%. Households at the local median AGI of $50,679 would pay roughly $1,466 in state income tax annually (estimated, before deductions). Combined sales tax: 6.59% (Tax Foundation 2025).
West Virginia has no state paid family leave program (Bipartisan Policy Center 2026).
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), school information from NCES CCD (2 schools), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), home values from the Zillow Home Value Index, colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (1 institution), income & tax statistics from the IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022), local business & employment from Census ZIP Business Patterns (2022), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (24 on record), climate normals from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020), county-level crime data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024), and state-level tax rates from the Tax Foundation. Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. School data retrieved Apr 27, 2026 from NCES CCD. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). Home values retrieved May 1, 2026 from Zillow Research. College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Income & tax statistics retrieved May 2, 2026 from IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022). Business & employment retrieved May 3, 2026 from Census ZBP (2022). Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (24 on record). Climate normals retrieved May 8, 2026 from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020). County-level crime data retrieved May 4, 2026 from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024). State-level tax rates retrieved 2026-05-05 15:58:22.284+00 from the Tax Foundation.
Nearby ZIPs by distance
26410 (Newburg, 2.9 mi) · 26425 (Rowlesburg, 6.7 mi) · 26374 (7.7 mi) · 26537 (Kingwood, 8.4 mi) · 26440 (8.8 mi) · 26520 (Arthurdale, 9.2 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
Have a specific question about ZIP 26444?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
49th percentile
Moderate Vulnerability
Based on 4 census tracts, population 3,254
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
95
Persons with Disability
655
Without HS Diploma
340
Without Health Insurance
238
Adults Age 65+
746
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.