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 WV counties showing the average annual rate of population growth between 2011 and 2021. Only 8 counties recorded an increase in population over this time period. Figure 5.2 displays a map of WV counties showing forecast of population growth over the next five years. Only four counties are expected to register measurable population gains while nearly 20 should see the number of residents remain mostly stable. Figure 5.3 shows a map showing average annual job growth between 2011 and 2021. Employment gains were largely clustered in the northern half of the state, though the continued impact of the pandemic did cause many counties to see employment levels remain Figure 5.4 uses a map of WV counties to illustrate the geographic dispersion of forecast employment growth over the next five years. Once again, job gains will be concentrated in the state's northern counties and Eastern Panhandle region. Figure 5.5 displays a map of WV counties showing the average annual change in real personal income between 2011 and 2021. Income growth was strongest in the state's natural gas-rich region as well as the Eastern Panhandle. Figure 5.6 displays a map of WV counties showing forecast of real personal income growth between 2022 and 2027. The state's southern coalfields are expected to see the weakest change in real personal income (including declines in a couple of counties) whi