Elizabeth, West Virginia facts for kids
Elizabeth is a small town in West Virginia, USA. It's the main town, or county seat, of Wirt County. Elizabeth is located right next to the Little Kanawha River. In 2020, about 724 people lived there.
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth, West Virginia
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Wirt County Courthouse
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Location of Elizabeth in Wirt County, West Virginia.
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Wirt |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.51 sq mi (1.31 km2) |
| • Land | 0.47 sq mi (1.22 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2) |
| Elevation | 646 ft (197 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 724 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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706 |
| • Density | 1,771.67/sq mi (684.48/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
26143
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| Area code(s) | 304 |
| FIPS code | 54-24364 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1538603 |
Contents
History of Elizabeth
Elizabeth was first settled in 1796 by a man named William Beauchamp. At that time, the area was part of a much larger county called Harrison County, Virginia.
The town was first known as "Beauchamp's Mills." In 1817, its name was changed to Elizabeth. It was named after Elizabeth Woodyard Beauchamp, who was the wife of William's son, David Beauchamp.
In 1822, Elizabeth officially became a town when the Virginia General Assembly gave it a special document called a municipal charter. This document allowed it to have its own local government. When Wirt County was created in 1848, Elizabeth became its main town, or county seat.
Geography and Climate
Elizabeth is located at 39°3′46″N 81°23′44″W / 39.06278°N 81.39556°W.
Land and Water
According to the United States Census Bureau, Elizabeth covers a total area of about 0.53 square miles (1.31 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 0.47 square miles (1.22 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.06 square miles (0.08 square kilometers), is water.
Local Climate
The weather in Elizabeth has hot and humid summers. The winters are generally cool. This type of weather is known as a humid continental climate. On climate maps, it is often shown as "Cfa."
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 395 | — | |
| 1890 | 710 | 79.7% | |
| 1900 | 657 | −7.5% | |
| 1910 | 674 | 2.6% | |
| 1920 | 681 | 1.0% | |
| 1930 | 716 | 5.1% | |
| 1940 | 685 | −4.3% | |
| 1950 | 755 | 10.2% | |
| 1960 | 727 | −3.7% | |
| 1970 | 821 | 12.9% | |
| 1980 | 856 | 4.3% | |
| 1990 | 900 | 5.1% | |
| 2000 | 994 | 10.4% | |
| 2010 | 823 | −17.2% | |
| 2020 | 724 | −12.0% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 706 | −14.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, the census showed that 823 people lived in Elizabeth. There were 377 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. Out of these, 228 were families.
The town had a population density of about 1,751 people per square mile (676 people per square kilometer). This means that, on average, there were that many people living in each square mile of land. There were also 437 housing units, which are places where people can live.
Most of the people in Elizabeth were White (98.4%). A small number were Asian (0.7%), and 0.9% were from two or more racial backgrounds. About 0.2% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Families
About 28.4% of households in Elizabeth had children under 18 living with them. Many households (39.3%) were married couples living together. Some households (17.2%) had a female head with no husband present. A smaller number (4.0%) had a male head with no wife present. About 39.5% of households were not families.
Many households (36.3%) were made up of just one person. About 18.5% of households had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The average household had about 2.18 people, and the average family had about 2.79 people.
Age of Residents
The median age in Elizabeth was 40.7 years. This means that half the people were younger than 40.7, and half were older. About 22.6% of residents were under 18 years old. About 8.1% were between 18 and 24 years old. People aged 25 to 44 made up 25% of the population. Those aged 45 to 64 were 27.1%, and 17.1% were 65 years or older.
In terms of gender, 47.0% of the town's population was male, and 53.0% was female.
See also
In Spanish: Elizabeth (Virginia Occidental) para niños
