Basic Information

Full Name: State of West Virginia
Capital: Charleston
Joined Union: June 20, 1863 (160 years ago)

Geographic Properties

Total Area: 24230 mi²
Land Area: 24040 mi²
Water Area: 191.8 mi²
Farmland Area: 3.7 million acres
Mean Elevation: 1509 ft
Highest Point: Spruce Knob, 4865 ft
Lowest Point: Potomac River, 239.5 ft

Demographics

Population: 1.783 million people (2021)
Population Growth: +0.05% per year (2010-12)
Population Density: 73.58 people/mi² (2021)
Race Distribution:
- White: 93.1%
- Black/African American: 3.7%
- Two or more races: 1.8%
Hispanic Origin: 1.6%
US Citizens: 99.2%

Education

College Degree and Above: 28% (0.688 × national average)
High School Diploma: 40.3% (1.5 × national average)
Less than High School Diploma: 13.1% (1.09 × national average)

Economic Properties

Number of Businesses: 120381 (2007)
Nonemployer Businesses: 90126 (2010)
Private Non-farm Businesses: 38676 (2010)
Median Household Income: $46,711.00 per year (0.743 × national average)
Per Capita Income: $26,480 per year (0.776 × national average)
Population Below Poverty Line: 17.6% (1.31 × national average)

Housing

Housing Units: 881752 (2011)
Households: 740080 (2011)
People per Household: 2.501 people (2010)

Crime Statistics

Total Rate of Crime: 1900 crimes/100000 people/yr (2019)
Total Number of Crimes: 34050 crimes per year (2019)

Voting and Registration Rates

Total Voting Rate: 55.3% (2020)
Total Registration Rate: 66.4% (2020)

Public School Finance Information

Total Expenditures: $3.12 billion ($11067 per student) (2020)
Total Revenue: $3.097 billion ($10984 per student) (2009)
Total Debt: $331.8 million ($1177 per student) (2020)
Total Cash and Securities: $506 million ($1795 per student) (2020)

State Symbols

State Bird: Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
State Flower: Big Laurel (Rhododendron maximum)
State Tree: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
State Motto: Montani semper liberi