West Virginia covers 24,078 square miles, with a 2021 estimated population of 1,782,959 people – with 666,086 people living in rural areas (USDA-ERS). Charleston is the state capital. The state's largest cities are Charleston, Huntington and Parkersburg. According to 2021 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 93.1% of the state's population is White, 3.7% is African-American, 0.9% is Asian, 0.3% is American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1.9% is of Hispanic or Latino origin.

West Virginia Rural Healthcare Facilities

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural West Virginia

5.1% of West Virginia residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2020). According to the Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for West Virginia residents in 2020 was $44,994, with the rural per capita income at $40,872. The ERS reports, based on 2020 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural West Virginia is 16.9%, compared with 15.1% in urban areas of the state. 14.8% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 10.9% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2016-2020 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural West Virginia is 5.6%, while in urban West Virginia, it is 4.7% (USDA-ERS, 2021).

West Virginia State Office of Rural Health
Phone: 304.352.6035
Serves as the focal point for rural health issues in West Virginia. Addresses rural healthcare needs by planning and developing policy, providing technical assistance and managing statewide coordination of rural health activities. A division of the WV Office of Community Health Systems and Health Promotion.
view details