Where Are People Moving in Kanawha, WV?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
1,647
People moving out
1,693
Net migration
-450
Kanawha, WV is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 1,647 people moved in and 1,693 moved out, for a net loss of -450. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving Kanawha, WV’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to Kanawha, WV from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Putnam, WVWest Virginia | 515 | 885 |
| Cabell, WVWest Virginia | 186 | 262 |
| Boone, WVWest Virginia | 100 | 172 |
| Fayette, WVWest Virginia | 98 | 162 |
| Jackson, WVWest Virginia | 87 | 161 |
| Raleigh, WVWest Virginia | 82 | 133 |
| Lincoln, WVWest Virginia | 70 | 147 |
| Roane, WVWest Virginia | 67 | 128 |
| Monongalia, WVWest Virginia | 62 | 72 |
| Logan, WVWest Virginia | 60 | 92 |
Top counties people left Kanawha, WV for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Putnam, WVWest Virginia | 557 | 975 |
| Cabell, WVWest Virginia | 203 | 333 |
| Monongalia, WVWest Virginia | 102 | 129 |
| Jackson, WVWest Virginia | 99 | 161 |
| Boone, WVWest Virginia | 82 | 167 |
| Fayette, WVWest Virginia | 68 | 104 |
| Lincoln, WVWest Virginia | 65 | 132 |
| Raleigh, WVWest Virginia | 59 | 89 |
| Franklin, OHOhio | 52 | 85 |
| Roane, WVWest Virginia | 51 | 101 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to Kanawha, WV or leaving?
Kanawha, WV had a net loss of -450 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 1,647 people moving in and 1,693 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to Kanawha, WV from?
The largest sources of new Kanawha, WV residents are Putnam, WV, Cabell, WV, Boone, WV. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving Kanawha, WV go?
People leaving Kanawha, WV most often move to Putnam, WV, Cabell, WV, Monongalia, WV. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does Kanawha, WV migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside Kanawha, WV's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this Kanawha, WV migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.