Fastest Growing Cities in West Virginia (2026)

98 cities

City
Rank
Annual Change
2026 Pop.
2020 Pop.
Charles Town16.2%10,0406,526
Ranson corporation22.27%6,3145,477
Moorefield31.58%2,7642,508
Westover40.7%4,1463,972
Star City50.5%1,8201,768
Granville60.43%1,3891,355
Bridgeport70.42%9,4779,236
Martinsburg80.41%19,20418,733
Morgantown90.36%30,70730,056
Buffalo100%1,1991,202
Ripley11-0.03%3,0653,071
Shepherdstown12-0.07%1,5221,528
Romney13-0.11%1,7501,764
Terra Alta14-0.14%1,4081,422
Ravenswood15-0.16%3,8083,846
Kingwood16-0.2%2,9402,978
Belington17-0.22%1,7871,810
Pleasant Valley18-0.23%3,4543,502
Philippi19-0.25%2,8312,873
Petersburg20-0.26%2,2652,300
West Liberty21-0.28%1,4261,450
Keyser22-0.29%4,7734,860
Winfield23-0.33%2,4112,461
Barrackville24-0.34%1,1891,212
Williamstown25-0.34%2,9302,992
Milton26-0.43%2,7752,846
Eleanor27-0.46%1,5091,550
Fairmont28-0.49%17,88718,414
Bethlehem29-0.51%2,5372,614
Hurricane30-0.52%6,7436,953
Vienna31-0.56%10,29010,638
Shinnston32-0.58%2,2312,311
Mannington33-0.58%1,8871,953
Barboursville34-0.65%4,2704,437
Buckhannon35-0.66%4,9835,180
Athens36-0.68%1,1611,211
Nutter Fort37-0.69%1,4301,489
Parsons38-0.7%1,2691,323
Summersville39-0.73%3,2773,424
Parkersburg40-0.73%28,41429,673
White Sulphur Springs41-0.75%2,1222,218
Grafton42-0.75%4,5074,710
Wayne43-0.8%1,3721,437
Stonewood44-0.81%1,7191,805
Richwood45-0.82%1,5801,661
New Martinsville46-0.82%4,9555,204
Salem47-0.82%1,4491,524
Wheeling48-0.82%25,63326,913
Elkins49-0.84%6,5856,924
Nitro50-0.92%6,2496,600
New Haven51-0.93%1,3871,467
Rainelle52-0.93%1,1671,236
Chesapeake53-0.95%1,2561,331
Ronceverte54-1%1,4791,571
Huntington55-1.02%44,03646,753
Lewisburg56-1.05%3,6873,920
Marmet57-1.07%1,3921,484
Beckley58-1.07%16,16517,214
Clarksburg59-1.08%14,93615,913
Point Pleasant60-1.09%3,8014,056
Weirton61-1.1%17,91819,115
Chester62-1.11%2,0582,199
Mabscott63-1.11%1,2501,334
Sophia64-1.12%1,0571,129
Glen Dale65-1.15%1,3801,479
Charleston66-1.17%45,40348,639
Ansted67-1.18%1,2581,347
Princeton68-1.19%5,4625,860
Moundsville69-1.2%7,5218,067
Spencer70-1.2%1,8902,027
St. Marys71-1.22%1,7061,835
Dunbar72-1.22%6,9387,457
Weston73-1.24%3,6653,944
Harrisville74-1.24%1,5091,622
Bluefield75-1.25%8,9319,608
South Charleston76-1.27%12,84713,836
Montgomery77-1.27%1,1671,259
St. Albans78-1.28%10,04110,821
Fayetteville79-1.29%2,6832,892
Ceredo80-1.29%1,2991,403
Belle81-1.29%1,0681,155
Kenova82-1.3%2,8023,027
Hinton83-1.31%2,1032,271
McMechen84-1.33%1,5621,687
Benwood85-1.35%1,1721,268
Oak Hill86-1.38%7,5228,152
Follansbee87-1.44%2,6092,840
Welch88-1.46%3,3153,609
Paden City89-1.53%2,3152,533
Glenville90-1.54%1,0221,117
Mount Hope91-1.54%1,2131,330
Oceana92-1.55%1,3341,459
Madison93-1.65%2,6302,897
Wellsburg94-1.7%2,2032,434
Sistersville95-1.79%1,2631,401
Mullens96-2.03%1,3021,467
Logan97-2.17%1,2621,432
Williamson98-2.66%2,6353,066

West Virginia Growth Overview

West Virginia's cities with over 1,000 residents show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2025. Charles Town leads with 6.2% annualized growth, followed by Ranson corporation (2.27%) and Moorefield (1.58%). The largest population centers are Charleston (45,403), Huntington (44,036), and Morgantown (30,707). Of the 98 cities over 1,000 population, 10 are growing while 88 experienced population decline. Overall, cities averaged -0.72% annualized growth, with total urban population growing by -3.56% annually.