The area of West Virginia was originally part of the colony and later the state of Virginia. West Virginia was separated from Virginia and admitted to the Union as a state on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. West Virginia originally included 48 Virginia counties; in 1866, Congress officially added two more counties, Berkeley and Jefferson, to the state resulting in generally the same boundary as the present state.

Although West Virginia had not been legally established, census data for West Virginia are available beginning with the 1790 census when it was enumerated as part of Virginia. The populations shown from 1790 to 1860, before statehood, are based on the county boundaries that existed at each census; these boundaries generally conformed to the present boundary of West Virginia. The population of Virginia (of which the area of West Virginia was a part) as legally existing from 1860 to 1790 was: 1,596,318 in 1860; 1,421,661 in 1850; 1,239,797 in 1840; 1,211,405 in 1830; 1,065,366 in 1820; 974,600 in 1810; 880,200 in 1800; and 821,287 in 1790.

Data for the legally established state of West Virginia are available beginning with the 1870 census.

Key Stats

From Census.gov / Data:

Data Tools and Apps - Find information using interactive applications (including the five highlighted below) to get statistics from multiple surveys.

Data Tool: My Community Explorer - This tool combines select demographic, business, and resilience data to help users identify potentially underserved areas of their state, county, and community. Step 1: Select West Virginia.

Data Tool: My Congressional District - Access selected statistics about your Congressional district collected through the American Community Survey (ACS) and County Business Patterns (CBP). West Virginia selected. You can select a district.

Data Tool: My Tribal Area - Access selected statistics collected for the American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) population from the American Community Survey (ACS). West Virginia selected, but there are no tribal areas for this state.

Data Tool: QuickFacts - QuickFacts provides frequently requested Census Bureau information at the national, state, county, and city level. Dashboard for West Virginia is shown below. Click the tab “TABLE 6” to compare the United States; West Virginia; Charleston city, West Virginia; Huntington city, West Virginia; Morgantown city, West Virginia; Parkersburg city, West Virginia.

Note: The dashboard above is cropped on the bottom. Click on the image for the full dashboard.

Experimental Data Product: Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS) - Insight into the state of the economy by providing timely data for key economic measures and business expectations about future conditions. For a summary of West Virginia data, select the "STATE" tab, mouse over and click on West Virginia on the map. For detailed state data, scroll down and select “WV” under “Filter All Charts Below by State.”

More Stats

From data.census.gov:

Profile, West Virginia

Note: The profile above is cropped at the bottom. Click on the image for the full profile.

Source: Selected Monthly State Tax Collections.

Monthly Comparisons for Selected State Tax Collections, click on West Virginia in map

Source: 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates.

Table DP05, ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, United States and West Virginia

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division (Annual Estimates of the Resident Population).

State Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2022

Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 (NST-EST2022-POP) find West Virginia

County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2022

West Virginia Counties: 2020-2022

City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022

West Virginia Incorporated Places 2020-2022

Source: 2018 - 2021 Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM).

Table AM1831BASIC01, Annual Survey of Manufactures: Summary Statistics for Industry Groups and Industries in the U.S.: 2018 - 2021, showing manufacturing in West Virginia

Source: 2021 County Business Patterns (CBP).

Census Interactive Gallery: County Business Patterns by Industry: 2021 (Select West Virginia and click “View state” for country level data.)

Table CB2100CBP, All Sectors: County Business Patterns, including ZIP Code Business Patterns, by Legal Form of Organization and Employment Size Class for the U.S., States, and Selected Geographies: 2021, showing all two-digit NAICS codes for West Virginia

Source: 2020 Annual Business Survey (ABS) Program.

Table AB2000CSA01, Annual Business Survey: Statistics for Employer Firms by Industry, Sex, Ethnicity, Race, and Veteran Status for the U.S., States, and Metro Areas: 2020, showing West Virginia

Source: 1978-2020 Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS).

Table BDSEAGE, Business Dynamics Statistics: Establishment Age: 1978-2020, for West Virginia

Source: 2019 Nonemployer Statistics (NES).

Table NS1900NONEMP, All Sectors: Nonemployer Statistics by Legal Form of Organization and Receipts Size Class for the U.S., States, and Selected Geographies: 2019, showing all two-digit NAICS codes for West Virginia

Source: Business Formation Statistics (BFS).

Interactive visualization: Annual Business Applications by State and County (Scroll down, then hover and click on West Virginia.)

Interactive visualizations: Business Formation Statistics (BFS), U.S. Total and By State (Select West Virginia on Monthly Business Applications by State – shown below – and on Monthly Business Formations by State.)

Note: Click on the image above to go to the Business Formation Statistics data page. For the West Virginia graphic, scroll down to “Interactive Graphs.” Click on the icon for “Monthly Business Applications by State (BA)” and select “West Virginia” in the upper-right drop-down area.

From Census Business Builder (CBB):

Dashboard: West Virginia

Business Profile, Custom Industries - West Virginia

From Business and Economy / International Trade Data:

State and Metropolitan Area Trade Data

USA Trade Online, the Official Source of Trade Statistics

Note: After you create an account, you can choose between State Export Data (Origin of Movement) or State Import Data (State of Destination) by Harmonized System (HS) or NAICS. More information is available in the Quick Start Guide.

Source: Monthly State Retail Sales.

Interactive visualization: Monthly State Retail Sales (Hover and click on West Virginia.)

From the State Data Center (SDC) Program:

West Virginia

From the Library / America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers:

STATE PROFILES: 2020 Census (State Visualizations of Key Demographic Trends From the 2020 Census)

STATE PROFILES: West Virginia: 2020 Census

From the Statistics in Schools (SIS) program:

State Facts for Students, select West Virginia

Note: The West Virginia page is cropped on the bottom. Click on the image above to go to the “State Facts for Students” main page. Use the drop down to select “West Virginia” or click “WV” on the map for the full page for West Virginia.

Source: 2017 Economic Census.