RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 26 SHOWN OF 26

Most sparsely populated, West Virginia cities

West Virginia cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 26 cities in West Virginia that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 26 is 1,851. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: St. Albans, WV, up 7 places to #24.

Flip the list · Most densely populated, US cities →

West VirginiaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most population gained Most population lost Most densely populated

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01▲3Oak Hill, WVWV7,629783+1%

02Ranson corporation, WVWV6,853846–

03▲2Bridgeport, WVWV9,427889+29%

04▲2Weirton, WVWV18,1331,004−11%

05▲2Bluefield, WVWV9,1581,021−20%

06▲3Nitro, WVWV6,2701,173−8%

07▲3South Charleston, WVWV13,0721,339−2%

08▲4Charleston, WVWV46,1171,469−14%

09▼1Charles, WVWV9,3291,590+221%

10▲3Clarksburg, WVWV15,5621,601−7%

11▲3Beckley, WVWV16,3731,724−5%

12▲3Buckhannon, WVWV5,0541,774−12%

13▲4Elkins, WVWV6,6221,823−6%

14▲5Princeton, WVWV5,5781,851−12%

15▲5Wheeling, WVWV25,6801,863−18%

16▲2New Martinsville, WVWV5,0391,885−16%

17▼1Hurricane, WVWV7,3671,984+41%

18▲4Fairmont, WVWV18,0352,097−6%

19▲4Parkersburg, WVWV28,5932,427−14%

20▲4Dunbar, WVWV7,0502,516−14%

21▲4Vienna, WVWV10,3212,601−5%

22▲4Moundsville, WVWV7,6592,635−23%

23▲6Huntington, WVWV44,8152,763−13%

24▲7St. Albans, WVWV10,2102,824−12%

25▲2Martinsburg, WVWV19,2112,897+28%

26▲4Morgantown, WVWV30,2932,976+13%

SHOWING 1–26 OF 26

Download CSV (full list, 26 rows)

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES