West Virginia Counties by Population (2025)

There are 55 counties in West Virginia.

Kanawha County is the largest county in the state, with a population of 173,210. The most recent census shows that its population has decreased by 0.04% since the previous census.

A number of other West Virginia counties also boast relatively large populations for their state, though not able to match the density of Kanawha County:

• Berkeley County : 139,723
• Monongalia County : 109,645

West Virginia Counties with the Fewest Residents

The smallest county in West Virginia is Wirt County , with a population of just 4,854. This total represents a decrease of 0.1% since the last census count was performed.

Other small counties include:

• Calhoun County : 5,801
• Pendleton County : 5,890
• Tucker County : 6,528

West Virginia Counties with Rapid Growth

Berkeley County , with its sizeable population of 139,723, has shown the largest population growth, with an increase of 0.1% since the last census.

On the other hand, McDowell County has had the largest decrease in population, with its 16,869 current residents totalling 0.1% less than the previous census.