Preston County · West Virginia
ZIP code 26542
- Population
- 2,120
- Median income
- $59,063
- Median home
- $152,300
- Sales tax
- 6%
ZCTA residents
Household, past 12 months
Owner-occupied value
West Virginia state rate
Quick answer
ZIP 26542 sits in Preston County, West Virginia and is home to 2,120 people. Median household income is $59,063, the median home is worth $152,300 and median gross rent is $850. 85.2% of households own their home, and purchases are taxed at 6% (West Virginia state rate).
- County
- Preston County
- State
- West Virginia (WV)
- Area codes
- Not published
- Metro area
- Outside covered metros
FIPS 54077
738 ZIPs covered
No NANPA match for this ZIP
Rate jurisdiction used for tax
The numbers for 26542
American Community Survey 2019-2023 ACS 5-year estimates for this ZCTA.
- Population
- 2,120ZIP 26542 residents
- Median household income
- $59,063Past 12 months, inflation adjusted
- Median home value
- $152,300Owner-occupied units
- Median gross rent
- $850Rent plus utilities, monthly
- Median age
- 39.8 yrsAll residents
- Homeownership rate
- 85.2%Owner-occupied households
Sales tax in 26542
What a purchase inside this ZIP costs at checkout.
West Virginia levies 6% statewide, and counties, cities and special districts inside this ZIP can add their own local rate on top. Check the county page for the local component before you quote a price.
Affordability in this ZIP
Derived from the Census medians above — indicative, not an offer.
A rent burden above 30% is the federal threshold for cost-burdened households, and a price-to-income multiple above 4× is generally considered a stretched housing market. The mortgage figure is principal and interest only — taxes, insurance and HOA dues are extra.
How 26542 compares
ZIP 26542 against the median ZIP in Preston County and across West Virginia.
| Measure | ZIP 26542 | County median | State median | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,063 | $54,604 | $54,285 | +9% |
| Median home value | $152,300 | $153,300 | $120,600 | +26% |
| Median gross rent | $850 | $802 | $794 | +7% |
| Population | 2,120 | 1,989 | 696 | +205% |
Medians are computed across the 14 ZIP areas in Preston County and the 738 ZIP areas in West Virginia.
Statewide rank
Where this ZIP places among all 738 West Virginia ZIP areas.
- Income
- #218
- Home value
- #198
- Population
- #176
richer than 61% of 554 state ZIPs
above 65% of 562 state ZIPs
larger than 76% of 738 state ZIPs
Comparable ZIP codes
West Virginia ZIP areas with almost the same household income.
Nearby ZIP codes
Other ZIP codes filed under Preston County.
ZIP 26542 questions
Common questions about this ZIP code.
- Where is ZIP code 26542?
- ZIP 26542 lies mostly in Preston County, West Virginia. County assignment follows the largest share of land area, so a ZIP straddling a county line is filed under its dominant county.
- What sales tax do I pay in 26542?
- West Virginia charges 6% statewide, plus any county, city or district rate that applies locally.
- Is 26542 expensive to live in?
- Median rent runs $850 a month, about 17% of median household income, and the median home is worth $152,300 — +26% against the typical West Virginia ZIP.
- Is a ZCTA the same as a postal ZIP code?
- Not exactly. The Census builds ZIP Code Tabulation Areas from the ZIP codes of addresses inside each census block, so a ZCTA can differ slightly from the USPS delivery route of the same number, and PO-box-only ZIPs have no ZCTA at all.
Keep going
Related pages for this area.
Sources & transparency
- US Census Bureau, ACS 2019-2023 5-year estimates — 2019-2023 ACS 5-year — population, income, housing
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file — County assignment by largest land-area overlap
- West Virginia Tax Division — Sales tax rates and local add-ons
Last reviewed December 2024. Figures are published for reference and can change; verify with the source agency before filing or contracting. How we build and check this data.