Census Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The Primary Election, Raw Milk And Child Nutrition, This West Virginia Week

This week, West Virginians went to the polls for primaries to decide some national and local issues. We’ll talk about the results of some of Tuesday’s elections and hear from some voters.

On this West Virginia Week, West Virginians went to the polls for primaries to decide some national and local issues. We’ll talk about the results of some of Tuesday’s elections and hear from some voters.

We’ll dive into the soon-to-be legal raw milk trade. West Virginians will be able to purchase raw milk, as long as it is properly labeled. But that might come with a risk.

We’ll also learn about a demonstration at West Virginia University (WVU) calling for the university to disclose investments in and ultimately divest from Israel over the war in Gaza, as well as child nutrition.

Finally, we hear about Gov. Jim Justice’s call for a much-anticipated special session of the state legislature this coming Sunday.

Chris Schulz is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week’s biggest news in the Mountain State. It’s produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Liz McCormick and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Census: Most Of State’s Largest Cities Shrank From 2022 To 2023

Of the state’s 15 largest cities, only Morgantown and Bridgeport gained population from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2023, according to new U.S. Census data.

And those two cities did not post large gains. Bridgeport’s population increased about 1 percent to 9,377. Morgantown’s increased 0.3 percent to 30,429.

Charleston and Huntington, the state’s two largest cities, each lost nearly 1 percent of their population during those 12 months. Charleston fell below 47,000 residents, while Huntington stayed above 45,000.

Bluefield had the biggest decline – 1.3 percent – to 9,272 residents, ranking last among 15.

The state’s total population declined by 0.2 percent, or just under 4,000 residents.

Only one Appalachian city ranked among the 15 fastest growing nationwide. Athens, Ohio’s population increased 8.6 percent.

Only 8 Counties See Growth In State, Most In Eastern Panhandle

Only eight of West Virginia’s 55 counties grew in population from 2022 to 2023. Most of these were clustered in the Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands regions.

From July 2022 to July 2023, the vast majority of West Virginia counties experienced population decline.

Forty-seven of the state’s 55 counties decreased in population in the one-year span, according to data released by the United States Census Bureau last week.

But among the eight counties that saw growth, five are located in the Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands region.

Berkeley County grew at a rate of 2.37 percent. Jefferson, Morgan, Hampshire, and Hardy counties also saw growth, clustering the greatest population increase in the easternmost region of the state.

In north central West Virginia, Monongalia and Marion counties also saw slight growth, with rates of 0.69 percent and 0.04 percent respectively.

The sole representative of southern West Virginia, Monroe County, grew its population by 0.5 percent in the one-year span.

Despite some regional growth, population decline across most counties echoes a years-long trend of population loss in West Virginia.

To view the full list of county-level population trends in West Virginia from 2022 to 2023, visit the Census Bureau website.

Deaths Outnumbered Births In State In 2023, Offsetting New Residents

More than 8,600 people died than were born, leaving the state with a net loss of almost 4,000.

According to U.S. Census data released this week, West Virginia has narrowed its population loss of recent years and actually gained residents.

The state added about 4,700 residents in the year that ended July 1, 2023. But that was offset by the number of people who died in those 12 months.

More than 8,600 more people died than were born, leaving the state with a net loss of almost 4,000.

That’s not good, says Brad Humphreys, an economics professor at West Virginia University.

“There are a ton of economic implications for that,” he said. “We’ve got a very unhealthy, aging population in the state. Those people place a lot more economic pressure on publicly provided services than young healthy people.”

While it is true that the most out-migration took place in higher-tax states such as California and New York, Humphreys says other factors drive people to move, including weather and housing affordability.

“I don’t think there’s much evidence supporting the idea that state taxes drive migration decisions,” he said. “The general trends in the United States over the last many decades, probably since the ’80s, is that people want to move to states where the weather is good.”

When you subtract the in-migration, West Virginia had the worst natural change in its population – births minus deaths – than any state but Pennsylvania. Florida, with its elderly population, is just behind West Virginia.

The census also shows that West Virginia has lost a total of 23,642 people since 2020, almost the population of Wheeling.

“You can’t outlaw death, right?” Humphreys said. “That’s not easily addressable by any sort of policy.”

Humphreys says county level data that will be available in the spring should show where in the state the population loss and growth is occurring.

It would also be helpful, he says, to know the age of the people who are moving here, and the age of the people who are dying.

Martinsburg Residents Look Back On Town’s 250th Anniversary

The city of Martinsburg is celebrating its 250th anniversary. That milestone comes with city-wide events planned throughout the year.

City officials and historians celebrated with a tree planting ceremony last month, kicking off a project that will plant 250 trees at sites of interest across Berkeley County.

The project kicked off at Martinsburg’s Adam Stephen House, a historical site and home of one of Martinsburg’s founders. Keith Hammersla, curator for the General Adam Stephen Memorial Association, notes Stephen’s arrival in the area as the beginning of the town’s development.

“He had two tracts of land. He purchased one tract in 1770, where he built this house. A second tract he purchased in 1773. And on that tract, he laid out lots to start the town of Martinsburg,” Hammersla said.

Today, Martinsburg is the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the center of the fastest growing area in West Virginia.

Berkeley County’s population grew by nearly 17 percent in the past decade, while West Virginia’s population shrank by almost 4 percent.

Michael Benson, a member of the association’s executive committee, thinks this is because of how different Berkeley County’s economy is compared to the rest of the state.

“I think it’s the diversity of the economy and in the area versus the other parts of the state being more reliant on two or three industries. You don’t have that concentration in Berkeley County or in the panhandle,” Benson said.

Berkeley County historian Todd Funkhouser says the town has historically benefited because of its location. Martinsburg became known as a railroad town after the construction of its roundhouse during the 19th century, becoming a major checkpoint for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company.

“All of the associated buildings popped up from the railroad itself. They had multiple theaters, multiple newspapers, downtown businesses were thriving. And there was a credit union, the beginning of the banking system,” Funkhouser said.

Today, Martinsburg is notable for its connection to Interstate 81 and accessibility to major business markets like Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and northern Virginia. Sandy Hamilton, executive director of the Berkeley County Development Authority, says this proximity is a big appeal of the region.

“It just makes perfect sense, from a logistics standpoint, that businesses would want to be in Berkeley County, where the cost of living is still less, the price of land is still less, the price to do business here is less,” Hamilton said.

Martinsburg’s rapid growth isn’t without its problems. Funkhouser worries that as the area continues to grow, infrastructure won’t be able to keep up.

“The local road system is at a breaking point because of the accessibility and ease of the interstate,” Funkhouser said. “A majority of our water is groundwater sourced, which creates all kinds of problems, and our sewer system is going to be a concern in the future.”

Historical preservation is also an issue, according to Marty Keesecker, president of the Adam Stephen Memorial Association. He says development has meant historic buildings were demolished for new businesses, but notes a recent resurgence of interest in preservation and beautification.

“You’ve seen a lot of work along the Tuscarora Creek to clean it up. There’s some little parks nearby,” Keesecker said. “So I think I see some positive – really positive – moves. And maybe that’s geared to the 250th anniversary. Who cares – it’s being done.”

Concerns aside, the region’s growth shows no signs of slowing down. From 2020 to 2021 alone, Berkeley County posted a population growth of nearly 4,000.

Census Bureau Shows Poverty Decreasing Across U.S., But W.Va. Lags Behind

The U.S. Census Bureau released data last week that showed the percentage of Americans living below the poverty line went down for the first time since the Great Recession of 2008.

Overall, the number of people living in poverty, nationwide, decreased by half a percentage point from 2017 to 2018 covering nearly 1.5 million people.

“We saw some really good news that for the fourth straight year in a row, poverty went down in the United States. But it remains unacceptable that 38 million people still live below the poverty line,” said Amelia Kegan, the Legislative Director on Domestic Policy for the Friends Committee on National Legislation.

The national poverty line is set at about $25,400 for a family of four. The U.S. poverty rate stands at 11.8 percent. But West Virginia is still lagging behind.

“West Virginia ranked number four when we’re looking at poverty rates over 2017 and 2018. And so, it is significantly above the national average of a two year average of about 16.5%,” Kegan said.

Two of the most powerful anti-poverty programs are the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit, preventing 7.9 million people from falling into poverty, including 4.2 million children according to Kegan. Another vital tool is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

“The data also showed that the SNAP program, formerly known as food stamps, prevented about 3 million people from falling into poverty back in 2018,” she said.

More than 340,000 people in West Virginia receive SNAP benefits each month, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The participation varies by parts of the state, however. In the first congressional district, about 13 percent of all households receive SNAP.

In the second congressional district, about 15 percent of households receive SNAP benefits. In the third congressional district, that number climbs to 22 percent of all households.