Census Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Listening To Bridge The Divide And A Special Reading Of A Holiday Classic, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, the end of year episode of Us & Them explores one of the last bridges we have left in this splintered world – careful listening, and the staff at West Virginia Public Broadcasting reads the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas”

On this West Virginia Morning, host Trey Kay explores some of our most vexing questions in the end of year episode of Us & Them. He leans across the divide and uses one of the last bridges we have left in this splintered world – careful listening.

And in honor of the season, the staff at West Virginia Public Broadcasting has read the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas”, better known as “Twas the night before Christmas,” from the first line.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and the Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

What’s Slowing Mountain State’s Population Loss? Immigration

International migration added more than 2,800 residents. Another 500, and the state would have broken even.

The bad news? West Virginia lost more than 500 residents from 2023 to 2024, according to new data from the U.S. Census. It’s one of only three states to lose population – Vermont and Mississippi are the others – and of those, it lost the most.

The good news? The state’s population loss is smaller than it has been, says Brad Humphries, a professor of economics at West Virginia University’s John Chambers School of Business and Economics.

“Things are improving,” he said. “We’re not hemorrhaging residents like we were a couple of years ago.”

A large part of the reason: More people are moving to West Virginia, notably, from other countries. International migration added more than 2,800 residents. Another 500, and the state would have broken even.

The total net migration to the state, including domestic and international, was about 7,300. The census data does not break down countries, or states, of origin.

“That is certainly one of the important factors that’s offsetting the higher death rate and lower birth rate,” Humphreys said.

West Virginia had the highest population loss because of deaths than any state but Pennsylvania. The number of deaths, 7,800, was actually higher than Florida’s, now a state of 23 million people.

“Florida is such a much larger state than we are, and to have the same number of deaths just tells you how unhealthy the population in West Virginia is,” Humphreys said.

Humphreys noted that West Virginia’s high death rate and declining birth rate aren’t likely to change. Therefore, any chance that the state will reverse its overall population decline depends on migration from other states and other countries.

“It’s going to be highly dependent on that migration, because the declining birth rate and pretty high death rate,” he said. “Those are long-term trends that don’t change easily.”

Texas and Florida led the country’s population gains in 2024, partly due to their location, Humphreys says. That could put states like West Virginia at a disadvantage.

“Anywhere in the Sun Belt.” he said, “That’s a big overall migration trend is people want to live where it’s warm.”

West Virginia’s total population remains over 1.7 million, which ranks 39th out of 50.

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.