RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 55 SHOWN OF 55

Fastest shrinking, West Virginia counties

West Virginia counties with the steepest population decline since the prior decennial census. This list covers the 55 counties in West Virginia that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Pendleton County, WVWV5,826-20.2%−1244%

02Ritchie County, WVWV8,034-19.2%−1885%

03Calhoun County, WVWV5,978-18.3%+377%

04Gilmer County, WVWV7,085-14.8%+123%

05Braxton County, WVWV11,885-14.3%−209%

06Clay County, WVWV7,538-14.2%−509%

07Summers County, WVWV11,532-14.1%+67%

08McDowell County, WVWV16,878-13.6%−39%

09Wetzel County, WVWV13,734-12.9%+59%

10Mingo County, WVWV21,455-12.2%−25%

11Fayette County, WVWV38,165-12.1%+1450%

12Boone County, WVWV20,251-11.4%+784%

13Logan County, WVWV30,375-11.4%−8%

14Wyoming County, WVWV19,801-10.1%−10%

15Pocahontas County, WVWV7,602-9.7%−814%

16Tyler County, WVWV7,881-9.7%+367%

17Wirt County, WVWV4,879-9.1%−170%

18Webster County, WVWV7,760-8.5%−10%

19Monroe County, WVWV12,491-8.3%−148%

20Wayne County, WVWV37,309-8.2%−371%

21Grant County, WVWV11,041-8.1%−196%

22Marshall County, WVWV29,159-7.6%+55%

23Greenbrier County, WVWV31,578-7.1%+920%

24Mason County, WVWV24,707-6.8%−321%

25Barbour County, WVWV15,414-6.8%+649%

26Kanawha County, WVWV172,381-6.4%+76%

27Brooke County, WVWV21,142-6.3%+10%

28Nicholas County, WVWV23,848-6.2%+681%

29Roane County, WVWV13,317-6.0%−379%

30Lincoln County, WVWV19,177-5.8%−270%

31Raleigh County, WVWV71,775-5.4%−273%

32Tucker County, WVWV6,540-5.3%+1%

33Hancock County, WVWV27,729-5.2%−29%

34Randolph County, WVWV26,882-5.0%−403%

35Jackson County, WVWV27,450-4.9%−161%

36Doddridge County, WVWV7,634-4.8%−182%

37Harrison County, WVWV64,221-4.6%+344%

38Ohio County, WVWV40,496-4.5%−33%

39Mineral County, WVWV26,792-4.5%−416%

40Mercer County, WVWV57,503-4.2%+36%

41Hampshire County, WVWV24,105-3.6%−116%

42Wood County, WVWV82,385-3.1%−348%

43Morgan County, WVWV18,027-2.7%−112%

44Cabell County, WVWV91,183-2.0%+4503%

45Upshur County, WVWV23,758-1.8%−177%

46Taylor County, WVWV16,287-1.1%−118%

47Marion County, WVWV55,584-0.4%−67%

48Pleasants County, WVWV7,338+0.6%−249%

49Hardy County, WVWV14,337+2.0%−87%

50Preston County, WVWV34,004+2.1%+103%

51Putnam County, WVWV56,885+3.5%−83%

52Lewis County, WVWV16,394+4.0%−329%

53Jefferson County, WVWV63,102+7.9%−55%

54Monongalia County, WVWV107,991+10.0%+19%

55Berkeley County, WVWV139,522+17.2%−39%

SHOWING 1–55 OF 55

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES