Is being in an area of West Virginia that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Charleston and Huntington, while others want peace and quiet like in Buckhannon and New Martinsville, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in West Virginia have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Mountain State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In West Virginia For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in West Virginia for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Charles Town ranks as the fastest-growing city in West Virginia. If you happen to be a resident of Charles Town, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in West Virginia grow like weeds.
For more West Virginia state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In West Virginia
- Cheapest Places To Live In West Virginia
- Most Dangerous Cities In West Virginia
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In West Virginia For 2026
1. Charles Town
/10
Population: 7,337
Population 2010: 5,074
Percent Growth 44.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,263
More on Charles Town: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Bridgeport
/10
Population: 9,252
Population 2010: 7,978
Percent Growth 16.0%
Absolute Growth: 1,274
More on Bridgeport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Martinsburg
/10
Population: 18,904
Population 2010: 17,133
Percent Growth 10.3%
Absolute Growth: 1,771
More on Martinsburg: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Hurricane
/10
Population: 6,855
Population 2010: 6,264
Percent Growth 9.4%
Absolute Growth: 591
More on Hurricane: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Morgantown
/10
Population: 30,236
Population 2010: 29,076
Percent Growth 4.0%
Absolute Growth: 1,160
More on Morgantown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Oak Hill
/10
Population: 7,937
Population 2010: 7,659
Percent Growth 3.6%
Absolute Growth: 278
More on Oak Hill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. South Charleston
/10
Population: 13,457
Population 2010: 13,390
Percent Growth 0.5%
Absolute Growth: 67
More on South Charleston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Vienna
/10
Population: 10,518
Population 2010: 10,724
Percent Growth -1.9%
Absolute Growth: -206
More on Vienna: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Nitro
/10
Population: 6,853
Population 2010: 7,083
Percent Growth -3.2%
Absolute Growth: -230
More on Nitro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Fairmont
/10
Population: 18,221
Population 2010: 18,865
Percent Growth -3.4%
Absolute Growth: -644
More on Fairmont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Mountain State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 25 West Virginia cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Mountain State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in West Virginia.
Here’s a graph of the cities in West Virginia with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In West Virginia, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in West Virginia are led by Charles Town which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in West Virginia are Charles Town, Bridgeport, Martinsburg, Hurricane, Morgantown, Oak Hill, South Charleston, Vienna, Nitro, and Fairmont.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Moundsville
- Bluefield
- Princeton
For more West Virginia reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In West Virginia
- Safest Places In West Virginia
- Worst Places To Live In West Virginia
Fastest Growing Places In West Virginia For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Town | 7,337 | 5,074 | 44.6% | 2,263 |
| 2 | Bridgeport | 9,252 | 7,978 | 16.0% | 1,274 |
| 3 | Martinsburg | 18,904 | 17,133 | 10.3% | 1,771 |
| 4 | Hurricane | 6,855 | 6,264 | 9.4% | 591 |
| 5 | Morgantown | 30,236 | 29,076 | 4.0% | 1,160 |
| 6 | Oak Hill | 7,937 | 7,659 | 3.6% | 278 |
| 7 | South Charleston | 13,457 | 13,390 | 0.5% | 67 |
| 8 | Vienna | 10,518 | 10,724 | -1.9% | -206 |
| 9 | Nitro | 6,853 | 7,083 | -3.2% | -230 |
| 10 | Fairmont | 18,221 | 18,865 | -3.4% | -644 |