Support local journalism. CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is one of two states whose population declined in the last decade, and the rate of population loss is faster than any other state in the nation, according to a recent study by Pew Charitable Trusts. Charleston, Belle, South Charleston, and St. Albans functions as a large metro area, although they are separate municipalities. Many factors are at play for the state’s overall population decline. You have permission to edit this article. Subscribe today. There are 1,568 people per square mile aka population density. Winds light and variable. Low 33F. It is bordered by Pennsylvania to the northeast, Maryland to the east and northeast, Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, and Ohio to the northwest. Nevada and Idaho were the nation’s fastest-growing states with 2.1 percent population increases. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. SCHOOLS South Charleston public … West Virginia's population in 1950 exceeded two million for the first and only time in the state's history. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that, while the state's population grew from 2010 (1,854,176) to 2012 (1,856,313) the state has seen a drop-off in consecutive years since--with the last estimate from July 1, 2014 putting West Virginia's population at 1,850,326. Chance of snow 40%. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Charleston, WV declined from 219,964 to 217,312, a -1.21% decrease and its median household income declined from $45,155 to $44,096, a -2.35% decrease. There are a lot of people who are leaving the state, but there also is consistently a higher mortality rate than birth rate in the state, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Log In. Appalachian populations grew faster than the nation on the whole until 1830, then lost share after that. According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, West Virginia’s population declined in … “The net migration was certainly negative to a significant extent here of the past few years when the recession was hitting hard.”. The population in Charleston is 49,384. West Virginia continues to lose population. Learn More... TRANSPORTATION Average Commute time is 16.7 minutes. So the cycle continues.”. Learn More... REAL ESTATE The median home cost in South Charleston is $103,400. The Charleston WV crime rate for 2017 was 1172.42 per 100,000 population, a 24.44% decline from 2016. West Virginia’s population now stands about 1.8 million. The other states that lost population over that period included New York (down 48,510), Illinois (45,116), Louisiana (10,840), Hawaii (3,712), Mississippi (3,133), Alaska (2,348), Connecticut (1,215) and Wyoming (1,197). West Virginia’s population according to the 2010 Census was 1,852,994. We bring you an excerpt from the interview, taped live from the Capitol building in Charleston. The population was estimated to be 675,000 as of 2013. Home appreciation the last 10 years has been 1.3%. The population growth rate is much lower than the state average rate of 2.52% and is much lower than the national average rate of 11.61%. Since 2010, it has had a population decline of 3.6%. West Virginia was also one of eight states to see a decline in population from 2016 to 2017, with 0.7 percent of the population leaving, according to the study. A study from earlier this year by Pew Charitable Trusts showed that West Virginia is one of two states, along with Michigan, to lose population over the course of the past decade. Kanawha County in 2017 held the 10th-highest population decrease by individuals of all counties in the country, with 2,804 people leaving, according to Census numbers. Many factors are at play for the state's overall population decline. West Virginia American Water, for example, has cited recent population decline in the state as a reason for proposed rate hikes. West Virginia’s demographics, particularly its population that is already older, mean the state has been losing more people to death than gaining by birth over the past few years. Other states with population growth included Utah (1.9 percent), Arizona (1.7 percent), and Florida and Washington (1.5 percent each). McDowell County held the fourth-highest percentage of population decrease of any county in the nation in 2017, with 3.5 percent — 683 individuals — leaving the county, according to the Census data. Prior to that, Huntington pretty much ruled southern WV. But other areas have struggled economically, leading to extensive population loss. And recently released population estimates from the Census Bureau show that only a handful of West Virginia counties have been immune from the dropping population.. 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