Harpers Ferry is a tiny town located in the state of West Virginia. With a population of 267 people and four associated neighborhoods, Harpers Ferry is the 237th largest community in West Virginia. Much of the housing stock in Harpers Ferry was built prior to World War II, making it one of the older and more historic towns in the country.
Harpers Ferry real estate is some of the most expensive in West Virginia, although Harpers Ferry house values don't compare to the most expensive real estate in the U.S.
Of important note, Harpers Ferry is also a town of artists. Harpers Ferry has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Harpers Ferry’s character.
Also of interest is that Harpers Ferry has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.
One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 37.78% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.
In addition, Harpers Ferry is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates", which are people who are not only wealthy and employed in professional occupations, but highly educated to boot. Urban sophisticates have urbane tastes - whether they reside in a big or small city, a suburb, or a little town. Urban sophisticates support bookstores, quality clothing stores, enjoy luxury travel, and in big cities, they are truly the patrons of the arts, attending and supporting institutions such as opera, symphony, ballet, and theatre.
Harpers Ferry is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Harpers Ferry’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.
In Harpers Ferry, however, the average commute to work is quite long. On average, people spend 46.93 minutes each day getting to work, which is significantly higher than the national average.
If knowledge is power, Harpers Ferry is a pretty powerful place. 61.26% of the adults in Harpers Ferry have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.
The per capita income in Harpers Ferry in 2022 was $52,917, which is wealthy relative to West Virginia and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $211,668 for a family of four. However, Harpers Ferry contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
The people who call Harpers Ferry home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Harpers Ferry residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Harpers Ferry include English, Irish, German, Scottish, and Swedish.
The most common language spoken in Harpers Ferry is English. Other important languages spoken here include Italian and Polish.