U.S. Census Bureau 2023 population estimates for West Virginia's 10 most populous cities

Just 2 of West Virginia's 10 most populous cities registered gains since 2020:  Morgantown, home of West Virginia University, and Martinsburg, which is home to 4 small, prost-secondary educational institutions.    

Four cities -- Charleston (capital), Weirton, and Beckley -- have seen their population drop 4% since th3 2020 census.

The population of all but 2 of the cities on the list peaked anywhere from 40 to 90 years ago. 

Source:  U.S. Census Bureau

West Virginia News, 5/17/2024

West Virginia's population peaked in 1950

Between 2010 and 2020, West Virginia witnessed a significant decline in its population, marking the highest percentage loss of residents in the United States, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. Over the course of that decade, approximately 59,000 individuals, constituting 3.2% of the populace, departed the state. Although recent data indicates a deceleration in the decline, the trend persists. From April 1, 2020, to July 1, 2023, the population experienced a further decrease of 1.3%, dwindling to 1.77 million.

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