Wyoming County, West Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wyoming County
U.S. county
The Wyoming County Courthouse and Jail in Pineville
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of West Virginia
West Virginia's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
Founded	January 26, 1850
Seat	Pineville
Largest city	Mullens
Area
• Total	502 sq mi (1,300 km2)
• Land	499 sq mi (1,290 km2)
• Water	2.4 sq mi (6 km2)  0.5%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	21,382
• Estimate  (2025)	19,801
• Density	42.59/sq mi (16.445/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st

Wyoming County is a special area called a county in the state of West Virginia in the United States. In 2020, about 21,382 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Pineville. Wyoming County was created in 1850 from Logan County. Its name comes from a Lenape word that means "large plains."

Exploring Wyoming County's Geography

Wyoming County covers a total area of about 502 square miles. Most of this area, about 499 square miles, is land. A small part, about 2.4 square miles, is water. The county has many mountains and is crisscrossed by branches of the Sandy and Guyandotte rivers.

Local Government Areas

For a long time, Wyoming County was divided into seven smaller areas called magisterial districts. These were like local neighborhoods for government. They were named Baileysville, Barkers Ridge, Center, Clear Fork, Huff Creek, Oceana, and Slab Fork. In the 1990s, these were combined into three new, larger districts: District 1, District 2, and District 3.

Main Roads and Highways

Getting around Wyoming County is made easier by several important roads. These highways connect different towns and areas within the county and to other parts of West Virginia.

Neighboring Counties

Wyoming County shares its borders with several other counties:

• Boone County (to the north)
• Raleigh County (to the northeast)
• Mercer County (to the southeast)
• McDowell County (to the south)
• Mingo County (to the west)
• Logan County (to the northwest)

Population and People of Wyoming County

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	1,645		—
1860	2,861		73.9%
1870	3,171		10.8%
1880	4,322		36.3%
1890	6,247		44.5%
1900	8,380		34.1%
1910	10,392		24.0%
1920	15,180		46.1%
1930	20,926		37.9%
1940	29,774		42.3%
1950	37,540		26.1%
1960	34,836		−7.2%
1970	30,095		−13.6%
1980	35,993		19.6%
1990	28,990		−19.5%
2000	25,708		−11.3%
2010	23,796		−7.4%
2020	21,382		−10.1%
2025 (est.)	19,801		−16.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

How the Population Has Changed

Wyoming County's population grew steadily until the middle of the 1900s. It reached its highest number of people, 37,540, in 1950. Since then, the number of residents has slowly decreased. By 2020, the population was 21,382. This change is often linked to fewer jobs in coal mining and people moving to other places for work. Also, sometimes more people pass away than are born in the county.

A Look at the 2020 Population

In 2020, Wyoming County had 21,382 residents. About 20.9% of the people were under 18 years old. About 21.7% were 65 years or older. The average age of people in the county was 45 years.

Most people in the county, about 96.3%, identified as White. A smaller number of people identified as Black or African American, American Indian, Asian, or from other backgrounds. About 2.8% of residents identified as being from two or more races. About 0.8% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

There were 8,545 homes in the county. In some homes, about 28.6%, there were children under 18. Many homes, about 80.5%, were owned by the people living in them.

How People Govern in Wyoming County

In Wyoming County, just like in other parts of the United States, citizens have the chance to choose their leaders through voting. People vote in elections to decide who will represent them in government. This helps make sure that the community's voice is heard.

Communities in Wyoming County

Wyoming County has different types of communities where people live.

City

• Mullens

Towns

• Oceana
• Pineville (This is the main town, also called the county seat.)

Current Magisterial Districts

• District 1
• District 2
• District 3

Historic Magisterial Districts

These were the older local government areas:

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but don't have their own local government.

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city or town.

Famous People from Wyoming County

Many interesting people have come from Wyoming County, including:

• Bernie Casey, a football player and actor
• Mike D'Antoni, a well-known NBA basketball coach
• William C. Marland, who was a governor of West Virginia
• Christy Martin, a professional boxer
• Jamie Noble, a professional wrestler
• Joe Pendry, an NFL football coach
• Nat Reese, a blues musician
• Heath Slater, a professional wrestler
• Curt Warner, a football player
• Greg White, a college basketball coach and speaker

Places to Explore

If you visit Wyoming County, you might want to check out these places:

• Horse Creek Wildlife Management Area
• Historic Places in Wyoming County
• Twin Falls Resort State Park

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Wyoming (Virginia Occidental) para niños