List of counties in West Virginia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Counties of West Virginia

Location	State of West Virginia
Number	55
Populations	5,000 (Wirt) – 174,805 (Kanawha)
Areas	83 square miles (210 km²) (Hancock) – 1,040 square miles (2,700 km²) (Randolph)
Government	County government
Subdivisions	cities, towns, unincorporated communities, census designated place

The U.S. state of West Virginia has 55 counties. These counties are like smaller regions within the state. They help organize local government and services.

Fifty of these counties existed in 1861, during the American Civil War. These counties decided to separate from Virginia to create the new state of West Virginia. West Virginia officially became a state on June 20, 1863. After this, five more counties were formed from the original ones. These new counties are Grant, Mineral, Lincoln, Summers, and Mingo.

How West Virginia's Counties Were Formed
- Joining the New State
- Rules for New Counties
How County Governments Work
Facts About West Virginia Counties
List of West Virginia Counties
See also

How West Virginia's Counties Were Formed

Joining the New State

After the Civil War, two eastern counties, Berkeley and Jefferson, did not want to be part of West Virginia. Virginia tried to get them back. However, in 1866, the United States Congress said they belonged to West Virginia. The Supreme Court of the United States agreed in 1871.

Rules for New Counties

The West Virginia Constitution was approved in 1872. It replaced the first state constitution from 1863. Article 9, Section 8, of this constitution explains how new counties can be made.

For a new county to be created, most citizens in that area must vote for it. The new county also needs to be at least 400 square miles (1,036 square kilometers) in size. It must also have a population of at least 6,000 people.

You cannot create a new county if it makes an existing county too small or with too few people. Based on the 2020 census, only three counties could be split: Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Randolph. All other counties are too small or do not have enough people to be divided.

How County Governments Work

Changes in County Government Powers

The first West Virginia constitution (1863) gave counties less power. Most local government tasks were handled by a system of townships, similar to those in New England.

The 1872 constitution changed this. It brought back a system like Virginia's, where each county was run by a county court. This court handled executive, legislative, and judicial jobs.

In 1880, West Virginia changed its constitution again. The county court system was replaced. Now, county government powers are divided among seven elected officials:

The county commission
County clerk
Circuit clerk
County sheriff
County assessor
County prosecuting attorney
County surveyor of lands

What Counties Do

Counties only have the powers given to them by the state Constitution or state laws. Their jobs include:

Keeping up the state's roads and other important structures.
Providing money for libraries.
Maintaining jails and hospitals.
Managing waste disposal.

Public Education and Counties

In 1933, public education became a county responsibility. A "county unit plan" was started in May 1933. This plan combined the state's 398 school districts into the current 55 county school systems. This change made public schools more affordable and saved West Virginia a lot of money.

Facts About West Virginia Counties

Randolph County is the largest county by area. It covers 1,040 square miles (2,694 square kilometers). Hancock County is the smallest, at 83 square miles (215 square kilometers).

Kanawha County is the most populated, with 174,805 people in 2023. It also contributed land to create 12 other West Virginia counties. Wirt County has the smallest population, with 5,000 people in 2023.

The oldest county is Hampshire, created in 1754. The newest is Mingo, established in 1895.

Spruce Knob, located in Pendleton County, is the highest point in West Virginia. It is 4,863 feet (1,482 meters) tall.

The United States government uses special numbers called FIPS codes to identify counties. For West Virginia, these five-digit codes start with "54". For example, Barbour County's FIPS code is 54001. Each county's code is in the table below.

List of West Virginia Counties

County	FIPS code	County seat	Est.	Origin	Etymology	Population	Area
Barbour County	001	Philippi	1843	Harrison, Lewis, and Randolph counties	Philip P. Barbour (1783–1841) United States Speaker of the House (1821–23)	&&&&&&&&&&015378.&&&&&015,378	&&&&&&&&&&&&0341.&&&&&0341 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0883.&&&&&0883 km²)
Berkeley County	003	Martinsburg	1772	Frederick County (Virginia)	Norborne Berkeley (1717–70) Royal Governor of Virginia (1768–70)	&&&&&&&&&0132440.&&&&&0132,440	&&&&&&&&&&&&0321.&&&&&0321 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0831.&&&&&0831 km²)
Boone County	005	Madison	1847	Cabell, Kanawha, and Logan counties	Daniel Boone (1734–1820) American frontiersman	&&&&&&&&&&020576.&&&&&020,576	&&&&&&&&&&&&0503.&&&&&0503 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01303.&&&&&01,303 km²)
Braxton County	007	Sutton	1836	Kanawha, Lewis, and Nicholas counties	Carter Braxton (1736–97) Signer of the Declaration of Independence	&&&&&&&&&&012162.&&&&&012,162	&&&&&&&&&&&&0514.&&&&&0514 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01331.&&&&&01,331 km²)
Brooke County	009	Wellsburg	1796	Ohio County	Robert Brooke (1761–1800) Governor of Virginia (1794–96)	&&&&&&&&&&021373.&&&&&021,373	&&&&&&&&&&&&&089.&&&&&089 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0231.&&&&&0231 km²)
Cabell County	011	Huntington	1809	Kanawha County	William H. Cabell (1772–1853) Governor of Virginia (1805–08)	&&&&&&&&&&092082.&&&&&092,082	&&&&&&&&&&&&0282.&&&&&0282 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0730.&&&&&0730 km²)
Calhoun County	013	Grantsville	1856	Gilmer County	John C. Calhoun (1782–1850) United States Vice President (1825–32)	&&&&&&&&&&&05959.&&&&&05,959	&&&&&&&&&&&&0281.&&&&&0281 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0728.&&&&&0728 km²)
Clay County	015	Clay	1858	Braxton and Nicholas counties	Henry Clay (1777–1852) United States Senator Kentucky (1823–25) United States Speaker of the House (1849–52)	&&&&&&&&&&&07783.&&&&&07,783	&&&&&&&&&&&&0342.&&&&&0342 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0886.&&&&&0886 km²)
Doddridge County	017	West Union	1845	Harrison, Lewis, Ritchie, and Tyler counties	Philip Doddridge (1773–1832) United States Congressman (Virginia) (1829–32)	&&&&&&&&&&&07680.&&&&&07,680	&&&&&&&&&&&&0320.&&&&&0320 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0829.&&&&&0829 km²)
Fayette County	019	Fayetteville	1831	Kanawha, Greenbrier, Logan, and Nicholas counties	Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834) French-born American Revolutionary War General	&&&&&&&&&&039072.&&&&&039,072	&&&&&&&&&&&&0664.&&&&&0664 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01720.&&&&&01,720 km²)
Gilmer County	021	Glenville	1845	Kanawha and Lewis counties	Thomas Walker Gilmer (1802–44) United States Secretary of the Navy (1844) Governor of Virginia (1840–41)	&&&&&&&&&&&07254.&&&&&07,254	&&&&&&&&&&&&0340.&&&&&0340 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0881.&&&&&0881 km²)
Grant County	023	Petersburg	1866	Hardy County	Ulysses S. Grant (1822–85) United States President (1869–77)	&&&&&&&&&&010921.&&&&&010,921	&&&&&&&&&&&&0477.&&&&&0477 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01235.&&&&&01,235 km²)
Greenbrier County	025	Lewisburg	1778	Montgomery County (Virginia) and Botetourt County (Virginia)	Greenbrier River	&&&&&&&&&&032149.&&&&&032,149	&&&&&&&&&&&01021.&&&&&01,021 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02644.&&&&&02,644 km²)
Hampshire County	027	Romney	1754	Augusta County (Virginia) and Frederick County (Virginia)	County of Hampshire in England	&&&&&&&&&&023649.&&&&&023,649	&&&&&&&&&&&&0642.&&&&&0642 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01663.&&&&&01,663 km²)
Hancock County	029	New Cumberland	1848	Brooke County	John Hancock (1737–93) One of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence Governor of Massachusetts (1780–85) and (1787–93)	&&&&&&&&&&028145.&&&&&028,145	&&&&&&&&&&&&&083.&&&&&083 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0215.&&&&&0215 km²)
Hardy County	031	Moorefield	1786	Hampshire County	Samuel Hardy (1758–85) Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress (1783–85)	&&&&&&&&&&014251.&&&&&014,251	&&&&&&&&&&&&0583.&&&&&0583 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01510.&&&&&01,510 km²)
Harrison County	033	Clarksburg	1784	Monongalia County	Benjamin Harrison V (1726–91) Governor of Virginia (1781–84)	&&&&&&&&&&064639.&&&&&064,639	&&&&&&&&&&&&0416.&&&&&0416 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01077.&&&&&01,077 km²)
Jackson County	035	Ripley	1831	Kanawha, Mason, and Wood counties	Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) United States President (1829–37)	&&&&&&&&&&027593.&&&&&027,593	&&&&&&&&&&&&0466.&&&&&0466 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01207.&&&&&01,207 km²)
Jefferson County	037	Charles Town	1801	Berkeley County	Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) United States President (1801–09)	&&&&&&&&&&059787.&&&&&059,787	&&&&&&&&&&&&0210.&&&&&0210 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0544.&&&&&0544 km²)
Kanawha County	039	Charleston	1789	Greenbrier and Montgomery County (Virginia)	Kanawha River	&&&&&&&&&0174805.&&&&&0174,805	&&&&&&&&&&&&0903.&&&&&0903 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02339.&&&&&02,339 km²)
Lewis County	041	Weston	1816	Harrison County	Charles Lewis (1736–74) American Colonel killed at the Battle of Point Pleasant	&&&&&&&&&&016500.&&&&&016,500	&&&&&&&&&&&&0389.&&&&&0389 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01008.&&&&&01,008 km²)
Lincoln County	043	Hamlin	1867	Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, and Putnam counties	Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) United States President (1861–65)	&&&&&&&&&&019701.&&&&&019,701	&&&&&&&&&&&&0438.&&&&&0438 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01134.&&&&&01,134 km²)
Logan County	045	Logan	1824	Cabell and Kanawha counties, Giles County (Virginia), and Tazewell County (Virginia)	Chief Logan (c. 1723-80) Mingo leader	&&&&&&&&&&030827.&&&&&030,827	&&&&&&&&&&&&0454.&&&&&0454 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01176.&&&&&01,176 km²)
Marion County	049	Fairmont	1842	Harrison and Monongalia counties	Francis Marion (1732–95) American Revolutionary War General (1757–82)	&&&&&&&&&&055807.&&&&&055,807	&&&&&&&&&&&&0310.&&&&&0310 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0803.&&&&&0803 km²)
Marshall County	051	Moundsville	1835	Ohio County	John Marshall (1755–1835) United States Secretary of State (1800–01) Chief Justice of the United States (1801–35)	&&&&&&&&&&029405.&&&&&029,405	&&&&&&&&&&&&0307.&&&&&0307 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0795.&&&&&0795 km²)
Mason County	053	Point Pleasant	1804	Kanawha County	George Mason (1725–92) United States Constitutional Convention "Father of the Bill of Rights"	&&&&&&&&&&024765.&&&&&024,765	&&&&&&&&&&&&0432.&&&&&0432 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01119.&&&&&01,119 km²)
McDowell County	047	Welch	1858	Tazewell County (Virginia)	James McDowell (1795–1851) Governor of Virginia (1843–46)	&&&&&&&&&&017439.&&&&&017,439	&&&&&&&&&&&&0535.&&&&&0535 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01386.&&&&&01,386 km²)
Mercer County	055	Princeton	1837	Giles County (Virginia) and Tazewell County (Virginia)	Hugh Mercer (1726–77) American Revolutionary War General (1775–76)	&&&&&&&&&&058057.&&&&&058,057	&&&&&&&&&&&&0420.&&&&&0420 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01088.&&&&&01,088 km²)
Mineral County	057	Keyser	1866	Hampshire County	abundant mineral resources	&&&&&&&&&&026867.&&&&&026,867	&&&&&&&&&&&&0328.&&&&&0328 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0850.&&&&&0850 km²)
Mingo County	059	Williamson	1895	Logan County	Mingo Native Americans	&&&&&&&&&&022023.&&&&&022,023	&&&&&&&&&&&&0423.&&&&&0423 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01096.&&&&&01,096 km²)
Monongalia County	061	Morgantown	1776	Augusta County (Virginia)	Latin derivation for Monongahela River	&&&&&&&&&0107718.&&&&&0107,718	&&&&&&&&&&&&0361.&&&&&0361 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0935.&&&&&0935 km²)
Monroe County	063	Union	1799	Greenbrier County	James Monroe (1758–1831) United States Senator (Virginia) (1790–94) Governor of Virginia (1799–1802) and (1811) United States President (1817–25)	&&&&&&&&&&012382.&&&&&012,382	&&&&&&&&&&&&0473.&&&&&0473 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01225.&&&&&01,225 km²)
Morgan County	065	Berkeley Springs	1820	Berkeley and Hampshire counties	Daniel Morgan (1736–1802) United States Congressman (Virginia) (1797–99)	&&&&&&&&&&017649.&&&&&017,649	&&&&&&&&&&&&0229.&&&&&0229 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0593.&&&&&0593 km²)
Nicholas County	067	Summersville	1818	Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Randolph counties	Wilson Cary Nicholas (1761–1820) United States Senator (Virginia) (1799–1804) Governor of Virginia (1814–16)	&&&&&&&&&&024169.&&&&&024,169	&&&&&&&&&&&&0649.&&&&&0649 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01681.&&&&&01,681 km²)
Ohio County	069	Wheeling	1776	Augusta County (Virginia)	Ohio River	&&&&&&&&&&041194.&&&&&041,194	&&&&&&&&&&&&0106.&&&&&0106 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0275.&&&&&0275 km²)
Pendleton County	071	Franklin	1788	Augusta County (Virginia), Rockingham County (Virginia), and Hardy	Edmund Pendleton (1721–1803) First Continental Congress (1774)	&&&&&&&&&&&06029.&&&&&06,029	&&&&&&&&&&&&0698.&&&&&0698 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01808.&&&&&01,808 km²)
Pleasants County	073	Saint Marys	1851	Ritchie, Tyler, and Wood counties	James Pleasants, Jr. (1769–1836) United States Senator (Virginia) (1819–22) Governor of Virginia (1822–25)	&&&&&&&&&&&07428.&&&&&07,428	&&&&&&&&&&&&0131.&&&&&0131 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0339.&&&&&0339 km²)
Pocahontas County	075	Marlinton	1821	Bath County (Virginia), Pendleton, and Randolph	Pocahontas (c. 1595–1617) Powhatan Native American slave of early English settlers	&&&&&&&&&&&07765.&&&&&07,765	&&&&&&&&&&&&0940.&&&&&0940 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02435.&&&&&02,435 km²)
Preston County	077	Kingwood	1818	Monongalia County	James Patton Preston (1774–1843) Governor of Virginia (1816–19)	&&&&&&&&&&034099.&&&&&034,099	&&&&&&&&&&&&0648.&&&&&0648 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01678.&&&&&01,678 km²)
Putnam County	079	Winfield	1848	Cabell, Kanawha, and Mason counties	Israel Putnam (1718–90) American Revolutionary War General	&&&&&&&&&&056962.&&&&&056,962	&&&&&&&&&&&&0346.&&&&&0346 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0896.&&&&&0896 km²)
Raleigh County	081	Beckley	1850	Fayette County	Sir Walter Raleigh (1554–1618) English explorer and poet	&&&&&&&&&&072356.&&&&&072,356	&&&&&&&&&&&&0607.&&&&&0607 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01572.&&&&&01,572 km²)
Randolph County	083	Elkins	1787	Harrison County	Edmund Jennings Randolph (1753–1813) Governor of Virginia (1786–88) First United States Attorney General (1789–94)	&&&&&&&&&&027350.&&&&&027,350	&&&&&&&&&&&01040.&&&&&01,040 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&02694.&&&&&02,694 km²)
Ritchie County	085	Harrisville	1843	Harrison, Lewis, and Wood counties	Thomas Ritchie (1778–1854) nationally influential Virginia newspaper publisher	&&&&&&&&&&&08167.&&&&&08,167	&&&&&&&&&&&&0454.&&&&&0454 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01176.&&&&&01,176 km²)
Roane County	087	Spencer	1856	Gilmer, Jackson, and Kanawha counties	Spencer Roane (1762–1822) Virginia Supreme Court Justice (1794–1822)	&&&&&&&&&&013743.&&&&&013,743	&&&&&&&&&&&&0484.&&&&&0484 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01254.&&&&&01,254 km²)
Summers County	089	Hinton	1871	Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer, and Monroe counties	George W. Summers (1804–68) United States Congressman (Virginia) (1843)	&&&&&&&&&&011581.&&&&&011,581	&&&&&&&&&&&&0361.&&&&&0361 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0935.&&&&&0935 km²)
Taylor County	091	Grafton	1844	Barbour, Harrison, Marion counties	John Taylor of Caroline (1753–1824) United States Senator (Virginia) (1792–94) and (1803) and (1822–24)	&&&&&&&&&&016388.&&&&&016,388	&&&&&&&&&&&&0173.&&&&&0173 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0448.&&&&&0448 km²)
Tucker County	093	Parsons	1856	Randolph County	Henry St. George Tucker (1780–1848) United States Congressman (Virginia) (1815–19) Virginia Supreme Court (1831–41)	&&&&&&&&&&&06604.&&&&&06,604	&&&&&&&&&&&&0419.&&&&&0419 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01085.&&&&&01,085 km²)
Tyler County	095	Middlebourne	1814	Ohio County	John Tyler, Sr. (1747–1813) Governor of Virginia (1808–11)	&&&&&&&&&&&07919.&&&&&07,919	&&&&&&&&&&&&0258.&&&&&0258 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0668.&&&&&0668 km²)
Upshur County	097	Buckhannon	1851	Barbour, Lewis, and Randolph counties	Abel Parker Upshur (1790–1844) United States Secretary of the Navy (1841–43) United States Secretary of State (1843–44)	&&&&&&&&&&023529.&&&&&023,529	&&&&&&&&&&&&0355.&&&&&0355 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0919.&&&&&0919 km²)
Wayne County	099	Wayne	1842	Cabell County	"Mad" Anthony Wayne Major General (1745–96) American Revolutionary War (1775–83) and (1792–96) United States Congressman Georgia (1791)	&&&&&&&&&&037686.&&&&&037,686	&&&&&&&&&&&&0506.&&&&&0506 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01311.&&&&&01,311 km²)
Webster County	101	Webster Springs	1860	Braxton, Nicholas, and Randolph counties	Daniel Webster (1782–1852) United States Senator Massachusetts (1827–41) and (1845–50) United States Secretary of State (1841–53) and (1850–52)	&&&&&&&&&&&08045.&&&&&08,045	&&&&&&&&&&&&0556.&&&&&0556 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01440.&&&&&01,440 km²)
Wetzel County	103	New Martinsville	1846	Tyler County	Lewis Wetzel (1763–1808) noted frontiersman	&&&&&&&&&&013890.&&&&&013,890	&&&&&&&&&&&&0359.&&&&&0359 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0930.&&&&&0930 km²)
Wirt County	105	Elizabeth	1848	Jackson and Wood counties	William Wirt (1772–1834) United States Attorney General (1817–29)	&&&&&&&&&&&05000.&&&&&05,000	&&&&&&&&&&&&0233.&&&&&0233 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0603.&&&&&0603 km²)
Wood County	107	Parkersburg	1798	Harrison County	James Wood (1741–1813) Governor of Virginia (1796–99)	&&&&&&&&&&083052.&&&&&083,052	&&&&&&&&&&&&0367.&&&&&0367 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&&0951.&&&&&0951 km²)
Wyoming County	109	Pineville	1850	Logan County	derived from Lenape Native American term for "wide plain"	&&&&&&&&&&020277.&&&&&020,277	&&&&&&&&&&&&0501.&&&&&0501 sq mi (&&&&&&&&&&&01298.&&&&&01,298 km²)