List of counties in West Virginia

Counties of West Virginia
Location	State of West Virginia
Number	55
Populations	5,717 (Wirt) – 193,063 (Kanawha)
Areas	83 square miles (210 km^2) (Hancock) – 1,040 square miles (2,700 km^2) (Randolph)
Government	County government
Subdivisions	cities, towns, unincorporated communities, census designated place

The U.S. state of West Virginia has 55 counties. Fifty of them existed at the time of the Wheeling Convention in 1861, before which West Virginia was part of the state of Virginia.^[1] The remaining five (Grant, Mineral, Lincoln, Summers and Mingo) were formed within the state^[1] after its admission to the United States on June 20, 1863.^[2] At that time, Berkeley County and Jefferson County, the two easternmost counties of West Virginia, refused to recognize their inclusion in the state. In March 1866, the United States Congress passed a joint mandate assenting to their inclusion.^[3]

The West Virginia Constitution was ratified in 1872, replacing the state constitution created in 1863 when West Virginia became a state.^[4] Article 9, Section 8, of the West Virginia Constitution permits the creation of additional counties if a majority of citizens in the proposed new county vote for its creation and the new county has a minimum area of 400 square miles (1,036 km²) and a population of at least 6,000. Creation of a new county is prohibited if it would bring another county below these thresholds.^[5] Three counties (Greenbrier, Kanawha and Randolph) have sufficient population and land area to allow a new county to be split off.^[5][6][7] The remaining counties cannot be split, as either their land area would decrease to under 400 square miles (1,036 km²) or their population would decrease to under 6,000.^[5][6][7] Population figures are based on the 2010 United States Census.

The role of counties in local government had been minimized under the 1863 constitution, which vested most local government authority in a system of townships based on the New England model. The authors of the 1872 constitution chose to return to the system used in Virginia, in which each county was governed by a county court with combined authority for executive, legislative and judicial functions of the county government.^[8] In 1880, West Virginia amended its constitution and replaced the county court system with an arrangement that divides county government powers between seven county offices, each of which is independently elected: the county commission, county clerk, circuit clerk, county sheriff, county assessor, county prosecuting attorney, and county surveyor of lands.^[9] Counties have only those powers that are expressly granted to them by the state Constitution or by state statute. These powers include, but are not limited to, maintaining the infrastructure of the state, funding libraries, maintaining jails and hospitals, and waste disposal.^[9] Reforming public education became a county function in 1933. In May 1933, a county unit plan was adopted. Under this plan, the state's 398 school districts were consolidated into the current 55 county school systems. This enabled public schools to be funded more economically and saved West Virginia millions of dollars.^[10]

Randolph County is the largest by area at 1,040 square miles (2,694 km²), and Hancock County is the smallest at 83 square miles (215 km²).^[7] Kanawha County contributed land to the founding of 12 West Virginia counties^[11] and has the largest population (193,063 in 2010). Wirt County has the smallest population (5,717 in 2010).^[7] The oldest county is Hampshire, established in 1754, and the newest is Mingo, established in 1895.^[1] Spruce Knob, located in Pendleton County, is the state's highest point at 4,863 feet (1,482 m).^[12] Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) codes, which are used by the United States government to identify counties uniquely, are five-digit numbers. For West Virginia, they start with 54 and end with the three-digit county code (for example, Barbour County has FIPS code 54001). Each county's code is provided in the table below, linked to census data for that county.^[13]

Counties

County	FIPS County Code [13]	County seat [6]	Established [1]	Origin [1][11]	Etymology [1][11]	Population [7]	Area [6]	Map
Barbour County	001	Philippi	1843	Harrison, Lewis and Randolph counties	Philip Pendleton Barbour (1783–1841) United States Speaker of the House (1821–23)	16,589	341 sq mi (883 km^2)
Berkeley County	003	Martinsburg	1772	Frederick County (Virginia)	Norborne Berkeley (1717–70) Royal Governor of Virginia (1768–70)	104,169	321 sq mi (831 km^2)
Boone County	005	Madison	1847	Cabell, Kanawha, and Logan counties	Daniel Boone (1734–1820) American frontiersman	24,629	503 sq mi (1,303 km^2)
Braxton County	007	Sutton	1836	Kanawha, Lewis, and Nicholas counties	Carter Braxton (1736–97) Signer of the Declaration of Independence	14,523	514 sq mi (1,331 km^2)
Brooke County	009	Wellsburg	1796	Ohio County	Robert Brooke (1761–1800) Governor of Virginia (1794–96)	24,069	89 sq mi (231 km^2)
Cabell County	011	Huntington	1809	Kanawha County	William H. Cabell (1772–1853) Governor of Virginia (1805–08)	96,319	282 sq mi (730 km^2)
Calhoun County	013	Grantsville	1856	Gilmer County	John C. Calhoun (1782–1850) United States Vice President (1825–32)	7,627	281 sq mi (728 km^2)
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)	9,386	342 sq mi (886 km^2)
Doddridge County	017	West Union	1845	Harrison, Lewis, Ritchie, and Taylor counties	Philip Doddridge (1773–1832) United States Congressman (Virginia) (1829–32)	8,202	320 sq mi (829 km^2)
Fayette County	019	Fayetteville	1831	Kanawha, Greenbrier, Logan and Nicholas counties	Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834) French-born American Revolutionary War General	46,039	664 sq mi (1,720 km^2)
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)	8,693	340 sq mi (881 km^2)
Grant County	023	Petersburg	1866	Hardy County	Ulysses S. Grant (1822–85) United States President (1869–77)	11,937	477 sq mi (1,235 km^2)
Greenbrier County	025	Lewisburg	1778	Montgomery County (Virginia) and Botetourt County (Virginia)	Greenbrier River	35,480	1,021 sq mi (2,644 km^2)
Hampshire County	027	Romney	1754	Augusta County (Virginia) and Frederick County (Virginia)	County of Hampshire in England	23,964	642 sq mi (1,663 km^2)
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)	30,676	83 sq mi (215 km^2)
Hardy County	031	Moorefield	1786	Hampshire County	Samuel Hardy (1758–85) Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress (1783–85)	14,025	583 sq mi (1,510 km^2)
Harrison County	033	Clarksburg	1784	Monongalia County	Benjamin Harrison V (1726–91) Governor of Virginia (1781–84)	69,099	416 sq mi (1,077 km^2)
Jackson County	035	Ripley	1831	Kanawha, Mason, and Wood counties	Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) United States President (1829–37)	29,211	466 sq mi (1,207 km^2)
Jefferson County	037	Charles Town	1801	Berkeley County	Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) United States President (1801–09)	53,498	210 sq mi (544 km^2)
Kanawha County	039	Charleston	1789	Greenbrier and Montgomery County (Virginia)	Kanawha River	193,063	903 sq mi (2,339 km^2)
Lewis County	041	Weston	1816	Harrison County	Charles Lewis (1736–74) American Colonel killed at the Battle of Point Pleasant[14]	16,372	389 sq mi (1,008 km^2)
Lincoln County	043	Hamlin	1867	Boone, Cabell, Kanawha and Putnam counties	Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) United States President (1861–65)	21,720	438 sq mi (1,134 km^2)
Logan County	045	Logan	1824	Cabell and Kanawha counties, Giles County (Virginia) and Tazewell County (Virginia)	Chief Logan (c.1723-80) Mingo leader	36,743	454 sq mi (1,176 km^2)
Marion County	049	Fairmont	1842	Harrison and Monongalia counties	Francis Marion (1732–95) American Revolutionary War General (1757–82)	56,418	310 sq mi (803 km^2)
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)	33,107	307 sq mi (795 km^2)
Mason County	053	Point Pleasant	1804	Kanawha County	George Mason (1725–92) United States Constitutional Convention "Father of the Bill of Rights"	27,324	432 sq mi (1,119 km^2)
McDowell County	047	Welch	1858	Tazewell County (Virginia)	James McDowell (1795–1851) Governor of Virginia (1843–46)	22,113	535 sq mi (1,386 km^2)
Mercer County	055	Princeton	1837	Giles County (Virginia) and Tazewell County (Virginia)	Hugh Mercer (1726–77) American Revolutionary War General (1775–76)	62,264	420 sq mi (1,088 km^2)
Mineral County	057	Keyser	1866	Hampshire County	abundant mineral resources	28,212	328 sq mi (850 km^2)
Mingo County	059	Williamson	1895	Logan County	Mingo Native Americans	26,839	423 sq mi (1,096 km^2)
Monongalia County	061	Morgantown	1776	Augusta County (Virginia)	Latin derivation for Monongahela River	96,189	361 sq mi (935 km^2)
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)	13,502	473 sq mi (1,225 km^2)
Morgan County	065	Berkeley Springs	1820	Berkeley and Hampshire counties	Daniel Morgan (1736–1802) United States Congressman (Virginia) (1797–99)	17,541	229 sq mi (593 km^2)
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)	26,233	649 sq mi (1,681 km^2)
Ohio County	069	Wheeling	1776	Augusta County (Virginia)	Ohio River	44,443	106 sq mi (275 km^2)
Pendleton County	071	Franklin	1788	Augusta County (Virginia), Rockinham County (Virginia) and Hardy	Edmund Pendleton (1721–1803) First Continental Congress (1774)	7,695	698 sq mi (1,808 km^2)
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)	7,605	131 sq mi (339 km^2)
Pocahontas County	075	Marlinton	1821	Bath County (Virginia), Pendleton and Randolph	Pocahontas (c. 1595–1617) Powhatan Native American who assisted early English settlers	8,719	940 sq mi (2,435 km^2)
Preston County	077	Kingwood	1818	Monongalia County	James Patton Preston (1774–1843) Governor of Virginia (1816–19)	33,520	648 sq mi (1,678 km^2)
Putnam County	079	Winfield	1848	Cabell, Kanawha, and Mason counties	Israel Putnam (1718–90) American Revolutionary War General	55,486	346 sq mi (896 km^2)
Raleigh County	081	Beckley	1850	Fayette County	Sir Walter Raleigh (1554–1618) English explorer and poet	78,859	607 sq mi (1,572 km^2)
Randolph County	083	Elkins	1787	Harrison County	Edmund Jennings Randolph (1753–1813) Governor of Virginia (1786–88) First United States Attorney General (1789–94)	29,405	1,040 sq mi (2,694 km^2)
Ritchie County	085	Harrisville	1843	Harrison, Lewis, and Wood counties	Thomas Ritchie (1778–1854) nationally influential Virginia newspaper publisher	10,449	454 sq mi (1,176 km^2)
Roane County	087	Spencer	1856	Gilmer, Jackson and Kanawha counties	Spencer Roane (1762–1822) Virginia Supreme Court Justice (1794–1822)	14,926	484 sq mi (1,254 km^2)
Summers County	089	Hinton	1871	Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer and Monroe counties	George W. Summers (1804–68) United States Congressman (Virginia) (1843)	13,927	361 sq mi (935 km^2)
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)	16,895	173 sq mi (448 km^2)
Tucker County	093	Parsons	1856	Randolph County	Henry St. George Tucker (1780–1848) United States Congressman (Virginia) (1815–19) Virginia Supreme Court (1831–41)	7,141	419 sq mi (1,085 km^2)
Tyler County	095	Middlebourne	1814	Ohio County	John Tyler, Sr. (1747–1813) Governor of Virginia (1808–11)	9,208	258 sq mi (668 km^2)
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)	24,254	355 sq mi (919 km^2)
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)	42,481	506 sq mi (1,311 km^2)
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)	9,154	556 sq mi (1,440 km^2)
Wetzel County	103	New Martinsville	1846	Tyler County	Lewis Wetzel (1763–1808) noted frontiersman	16,583	359 sq mi (930 km^2)
Wirt County	105	Elizabeth	1848	Jackson and Wood counties	William Wirt (1772–1834) United States Attorney General (1817–29)	5,717	233 sq mi (603 km^2)
Wood County	107	Parkersburg	1798	Harrison County	James Wood (1741–1813) Governor of Virginia (1796–99)	86,956	367 sq mi (951 km^2)
Wyoming County	109	Pineville	1850	Logan County	derived from Lenape Native American term for "wide plain"	23,796	501 sq mi (1,298 km^2)

See also

• List of Governors of West Virginia
• List of National Historic Landmarks in West Virginia

References

1. Lewis, Virgil (1896). History and Government of West Virginia (1st ed.). New York NY: Werner School Book Company. pp. 264–270. (WV County Founding Dates and Etymology). Other editions available at ASIN B009CI6FRI and Google Books.
2. Littlefield, Charles (1910). Commonwealth of Virginia, plaintiff vs. ... State of West Virginia, defendant (1st ed.). Charleston, WV: Lovett Printing Company. pp. 9–10. (WV Statehood). Other editions available at ISBN 9781274843111 and Google Books
3. Rice, Otis; Brown, Stephen (1993). West Virginia, A History (2nd ed.). Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. p. 153. (WV State Boundaries). Other editions available: ISBN 9780813118543
4. Bastress, Robert (1995). The West Virginia Constitution: A Reference Guide. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. 18. ISBN 0313274096.
5. Warth, John (1887). The Code of West Virginia. Wheeling and Charleston WV: West Virginia Printing Company, Printers and Binders. pp. 271–273.. Other editions available at ISBN 9781231066737 and Google Books.
6. "Find A County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved February 4, 2013. (Find a county)
7. "West Virginia QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 4, 2013. (2010 Census)
8. Bastress, p. 20
9. Brisbin, Richard (1996). West Virginia Politics and Government. University of Nebraska Press. pp. 142–146. ISBN 0803212712.
10. Rice, p. 247
11. "West Virginia Counties". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Retrieved February 4, 2013. (WV County Formation)
12. Morton, Oren (1910). A History of Pendleton County, West Virginia (1st ed.). Dayton, VA: Ruebush-Elkins Company. p. 3.. Other editions available at ISBN 9781165299102.
13. "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
14. McCulloch, Delia (1908). American Historical Magazine Volume 3. New York NY: Americana Society. pp. 628–629.. Available at ISBN 1144825210 and Google Books.