Chapter V: West Virginia’s Counties

While statewide figures reflecting West Virginia’s economy are important, it is important to recognize that they mask significant economic and demographic variations across the state’s regions and counties. As such, in this chapter we illustrate several key economic statistics performed during the past decade across each of the state’s 55 counties and how these measures are expected to perform from a geographic perspective over the next five years.

Figure 5.1 displays a map of average annual rates of population growth between 2010 and 2020 for West Virginiaís 55 counties. Only 8 counties recorded an increase in population over this time period.

Figure 5.2 displays a map of average annual rates of population growth over the forecast period of 2021 to 2026. Nine counties are expected to grow while 13 will likely remain stable in terms of the number of residents.

Figure 5.3 shows a map with the average annual rate of job growth between 2010 and 2020 for West Virginiaís 55 counties. Employment gains were largely clustered in the northern half of the state, though the pandemic did cause many counties to lose jobs in

Figure 5.4 uses a map to show the geographic distribution of forecast employment growth over the next five years in West Virginiaís 55 counties. Job gains will likely be concentrated in the state's northern counties and Eastern Panhandle region.

Figure 5.5 displays a map of West Virginiaís 55 counties reporting the average annual rate of growth in real personal income between 2010 and 2020. Seven counties recorded absolute losses in income over this 10-year period, whereas a swath of counties in

Figure 5.6 displays a map of West Virginiaís 55 counties reporting the average annual rate of real personal income growth that is expected over the next five years. Map of WV counties showing forecast of real personal income growth between 2021 and 2026.