Population of West Virginia

Analysis# West Virginia Population Analysis West Virginia has experienced sustained decline over the past decade, losing approximately 85,000 residents between 2014 and 2024 at a rate of -4.79%, contributing to its #39 ranking among U.S. states. The state's current population of 1,764,325 represents a dramatic reversal from its peak growth period in the 1910s, when the state experienced robust expansion driven by coal mining development. This long-term contraction reflects broader patterns of resource extraction dependency and out-migration that have persisted for over a century since the state's industrial apex.