West Virginia County Area & Size Rankings

Understanding West Virginia’s county areas

The land-area range runs from Hancock County at 82.6 mi² to Randolph County at 1,039.7 mi². The largest has 12.6 times the land area of the smallest and accounts for 4.3% of the combined county land in West Virginia. Compare with every state’s largest county.

The median county-equivalent land area is 419 mi², below the national median of 604.5 mi². The median describes the middle of the county size distribution; it does not describe how people or development are distributed. A state with a few very large counties can have a much smaller median than its largest entry suggests.

Where water changes the picture

Mason County has the most assigned water area, at 13.9 mi². Hancock County has the highest water share, with water making up 6.1% of its total area. Water area and water percentage answer different questions: the first measures an amount, while the second measures the mix of land and water.

Across all 55 entries, water accounts for 0.8% of the combined total area. This is calculated from the summed land and water measurements, rather than averaging county percentages, which would give each small and large county equal weight.

Where people live

An estimated 1,766,147 people lived in West Virginia on July 1, 2025 (−1.5% since 2020), or 0.5% of the national total in this dataset. Kanawha County is the most populous county equivalent, with 172,381 residents — 9.8% of the state. The largest by land, Randolph County, has 26,882.

Across the state there are 73 people per square mile of land. County densities range from 434 in Berkeley County to 8.1 in Pocahontas County; the median county equivalent has 45. Switch the map above to density to see where the state’s population concentrates.

Compare the largest and smallest county equivalents in West Virginia to see land, water, and total area on the same scale.

These calculations use the 2026 Census county records listed below. County-equivalent boundaries vary between states; area alone does not measure population, density, or usable land. See coverage and calculation rules.

#	County / equivalent	Land	Water	Water share	Population	Per mi²
1	Randolph CountyGEOID 54083	1,039.7 mi²	0.3 mi²	0%	26,882	26
2	Greenbrier CountyGEOID 54025	1,019.8 mi²	4.7 mi²	0.5%	31,578	31
3	Pocahontas CountyGEOID 54075	940.2 mi²	1.6 mi²	0.2%	7,602	8.1
4	Kanawha CountyGEOID 54039	901.7 mi²	9.3 mi²	1%	172,381	191
5	Pendleton CountyGEOID 54071	696.1 mi²	2.1 mi²	0.3%	5,826	8.4
6	Fayette CountyGEOID 54019	662 mi²	6.7 mi²	1%	38,165	58
7	Preston CountyGEOID 54077	648.8 mi²	2.6 mi²	0.4%	34,004	52
8	Nicholas CountyGEOID 54067	646.8 mi²	7.5 mi²	1.1%	23,848	37
9	Hampshire CountyGEOID 54027	640.4 mi²	4.2 mi²	0.7%	24,105	38
10	Raleigh CountyGEOID 54081	605 mi²	4 mi²	0.7%	71,775	119
11	Hardy CountyGEOID 54031	582.3 mi²	2.2 mi²	0.4%	14,337	25
12	Webster CountyGEOID 54101	553.5 mi²	2.8 mi²	0.5%	7,760	14
13	McDowell CountyGEOID 54047	533.5 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.3%	16,878	32
14	Braxton CountyGEOID 54007	510.7 mi²	5.5 mi²	1.1%	11,885	23
15	Wayne CountyGEOID 54099	506 mi²	6.1 mi²	1.2%	37,309	74
16	Boone CountyGEOID 54005	502.4 mi²	1.7 mi²	0.3%	20,251	40
17	Wyoming CountyGEOID 54109	499.5 mi²	2.3 mi²	0.5%	19,801	40
18	Roane CountyGEOID 54087	483.6 mi²	0.2 mi²	0%	13,317	28
19	Grant CountyGEOID 54023	477.4 mi²	2.9 mi²	0.6%	11,041	23
20	Monroe CountyGEOID 54063	472.8 mi²	0.9 mi²	0.2%	12,491	26
21	Jackson CountyGEOID 54035	464.4 mi²	7.3 mi²	1.5%	27,450	59
22	Logan CountyGEOID 54045	452.9 mi²	1.8 mi²	0.4%	30,375	67
23	Ritchie CountyGEOID 54085	452 mi²	1.7 mi²	0.4%	8,034	18
24	Lincoln CountyGEOID 54043	437.1 mi²	1.6 mi²	0.4%	19,177	44
25	Mason CountyGEOID 54053	430.8 mi²	13.9 mi²	3.1%	24,707	57
26	Mingo CountyGEOID 54059	423.1 mi²	0.8 mi²	0.2%	21,455	51
27	Tucker CountyGEOID 54093	419 mi²	2.1 mi²	0.5%	6,540	16
28	Mercer CountyGEOID 54055	419 mi²	1.7 mi²	0.4%	57,503	137
29	Harrison CountyGEOID 54033	416 mi²	0.5 mi²	0.1%	64,221	154
30	Lewis CountyGEOID 54041	386.9 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.7%	16,394	42
31	Wood CountyGEOID 54107	366.5 mi²	10.3 mi²	2.7%	82,385	225
32	Summers CountyGEOID 54089	360.6 mi²	7.1 mi²	1.9%	11,532	32
33	Monongalia CountyGEOID 54061	360.1 mi²	5.8 mi²	1.6%	107,991	300
34	Wetzel CountyGEOID 54103	358.1 mi²	3.3 mi²	0.9%	13,734	38
35	Upshur CountyGEOID 54097	354.6 mi²	0.1 mi²	0%	23,758	67
36	Putnam CountyGEOID 54079	345.7 mi²	4.7 mi²	1.3%	56,885	165
37	Clay CountyGEOID 54015	342 mi²	1.9 mi²	0.5%	7,538	22
38	Barbour CountyGEOID 54001	341.1 mi²	1.8 mi²	0.5%	15,414	45
39	Gilmer CountyGEOID 54021	338.5 mi²	1.6 mi²	0.5%	7,085	21
40	Mineral CountyGEOID 54057	327.9 mi²	1.3 mi²	0.4%	26,792	82
41	Berkeley CountyGEOID 54003	321.1 mi²	0.4 mi²	0.1%	139,522	434
42	Doddridge CountyGEOID 54017	319.7 mi²	0.8 mi²	0.2%	7,634	24
43	Marion CountyGEOID 54049	308.8 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.9%	55,584	180
44	Marshall CountyGEOID 54051	305.4 mi²	6.7 mi²	2.2%	29,159	95
45	Cabell CountyGEOID 54011	281 mi²	7 mi²	2.4%	91,183	324
46	Calhoun CountyGEOID 54013	279.3 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.5%	5,978	21
47	Tyler CountyGEOID 54095	256.3 mi²	4.4 mi²	1.7%	7,881	31
48	Wirt CountyGEOID 54105	232.5 mi²	2.3 mi²	1%	4,879	21
49	Morgan CountyGEOID 54065	229.1 mi²	0.5 mi²	0.2%	18,027	79
50	Jefferson CountyGEOID 54037	209.3 mi²	2.4 mi²	1.1%	63,102	302
51	Taylor CountyGEOID 54091	172.8 mi²	2.9 mi²	1.7%	16,287	94
52	Pleasants CountyGEOID 54073	130.1 mi²	4.4 mi²	3.3%	7,338	56
53	Ohio CountyGEOID 54069	106 mi²	3.2 mi²	2.9%	40,496	382
54	Brooke CountyGEOID 54009	89 mi²	3.4 mi²	3.7%	21,142	237
55	Hancock CountyGEOID 54029	82.6 mi²	5.4 mi²	6.1%	27,729	336

County / equivalent

Land

Water

Water share

Population

Per mi²

Randolph CountyGEOID 54083

1,039.7 mi²

0.3 mi²

26,882

Greenbrier CountyGEOID 54025

1,019.8 mi²

4.7 mi²

0.5%

31,578

Pocahontas CountyGEOID 54075

940.2 mi²

1.6 mi²

0.2%

7,602

8.1

Kanawha CountyGEOID 54039

901.7 mi²

9.3 mi²

172,381

191

Pendleton CountyGEOID 54071

696.1 mi²

2.1 mi²

0.3%

5,826

8.4

Fayette CountyGEOID 54019

662 mi²

6.7 mi²

38,165

Preston CountyGEOID 54077

648.8 mi²

2.6 mi²

0.4%

34,004

Nicholas CountyGEOID 54067

646.8 mi²

7.5 mi²

1.1%

23,848

Hampshire CountyGEOID 54027

640.4 mi²

4.2 mi²

0.7%

24,105

Raleigh CountyGEOID 54081

605 mi²

4 mi²

0.7%

71,775

119

Hardy CountyGEOID 54031

582.3 mi²

2.2 mi²

0.4%

14,337

Webster CountyGEOID 54101

553.5 mi²

2.8 mi²

0.5%

7,760

McDowell CountyGEOID 54047

533.5 mi²

1.4 mi²

0.3%

16,878

Braxton CountyGEOID 54007

510.7 mi²

5.5 mi²

1.1%

11,885

Wayne CountyGEOID 54099

506 mi²

6.1 mi²

1.2%

37,309

Boone CountyGEOID 54005

502.4 mi²

1.7 mi²

0.3%

20,251

Wyoming CountyGEOID 54109

499.5 mi²

2.3 mi²

0.5%

19,801

Roane CountyGEOID 54087

483.6 mi²

0.2 mi²

13,317

Grant CountyGEOID 54023

477.4 mi²

2.9 mi²

0.6%

11,041

Monroe CountyGEOID 54063

472.8 mi²

0.9 mi²

0.2%

12,491

Jackson CountyGEOID 54035

464.4 mi²

7.3 mi²

1.5%

27,450

Logan CountyGEOID 54045

452.9 mi²

1.8 mi²

0.4%

30,375

Ritchie CountyGEOID 54085

452 mi²

1.7 mi²

0.4%

8,034

Lincoln CountyGEOID 54043

437.1 mi²

1.6 mi²

0.4%

19,177

Mason CountyGEOID 54053

430.8 mi²

13.9 mi²

3.1%

24,707

Mingo CountyGEOID 54059

423.1 mi²

0.8 mi²

0.2%

21,455

Tucker CountyGEOID 54093

419 mi²

2.1 mi²

0.5%

6,540

Mercer CountyGEOID 54055

419 mi²

1.7 mi²

0.4%

57,503

137

Harrison CountyGEOID 54033

416 mi²

0.5 mi²

0.1%

64,221

154

Lewis CountyGEOID 54041

386.9 mi²

2.7 mi²

0.7%

16,394

Wood CountyGEOID 54107

366.5 mi²

10.3 mi²

2.7%

82,385

225

Summers CountyGEOID 54089

360.6 mi²

7.1 mi²

1.9%

11,532

Monongalia CountyGEOID 54061

360.1 mi²

5.8 mi²

1.6%

107,991

300

Wetzel CountyGEOID 54103

358.1 mi²

3.3 mi²

0.9%

13,734

Upshur CountyGEOID 54097

354.6 mi²

0.1 mi²

23,758

Putnam CountyGEOID 54079

345.7 mi²

4.7 mi²

1.3%

56,885

165

Clay CountyGEOID 54015

342 mi²

1.9 mi²

0.5%

7,538

Barbour CountyGEOID 54001

341.1 mi²

1.8 mi²

0.5%

15,414

Gilmer CountyGEOID 54021

338.5 mi²

1.6 mi²

0.5%

7,085

Mineral CountyGEOID 54057

327.9 mi²

1.3 mi²

0.4%

26,792

Berkeley CountyGEOID 54003

321.1 mi²

0.4 mi²

0.1%

139,522

434

Doddridge CountyGEOID 54017

319.7 mi²

0.8 mi²

0.2%

7,634

Marion CountyGEOID 54049

308.8 mi²

2.7 mi²

0.9%

55,584

180

Marshall CountyGEOID 54051

305.4 mi²

6.7 mi²

2.2%

29,159

Cabell CountyGEOID 54011

281 mi²

7 mi²

2.4%

91,183

324

Calhoun CountyGEOID 54013

279.3 mi²

1.4 mi²

0.5%

5,978

Tyler CountyGEOID 54095

256.3 mi²

4.4 mi²

1.7%

7,881

Wirt CountyGEOID 54105

232.5 mi²

2.3 mi²

4,879

Morgan CountyGEOID 54065

229.1 mi²

0.5 mi²

0.2%

18,027

Jefferson CountyGEOID 54037

209.3 mi²

2.4 mi²

1.1%

63,102

302

Taylor CountyGEOID 54091

172.8 mi²

2.9 mi²

1.7%

16,287

Pleasants CountyGEOID 54073

130.1 mi²

4.4 mi²

3.3%

7,338

Ohio CountyGEOID 54069

106 mi²

3.2 mi²

2.9%

40,496

382

Brooke CountyGEOID 54009

89 mi²

3.4 mi²

3.7%

21,142

237

Hancock CountyGEOID 54029

82.6 mi²

5.4 mi²

6.1%

27,729

336

West Virginia counties by area

Understanding West Virginia’s county areas

Where water changes the picture

Where people live

Complete area table