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Is being in an area 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 Keyser and Grafton, thank you very much.
But today we're going to put opinions aside and just look at the cold hard facts -- over the past five years, which cities in West Virginia have the grown the fastest.
After getting knee deep in the Census's American Community Survey, we emerged with this set of cities in the Mountain State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
These are the 10 fastest growing cities in West Virginia for 2021 according to the most recent census data:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In West Virginia For 2021
What's the fastest growing city in West Virginia for 2021? 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 too surprised to find it on our list.
If you're surprised--and you're wondering why these places are kind of a big deal--keep reading. We'll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in West Virginia are growing like weeds.
And if you already knew these places were happening, check out the best places to live in West Virginia or the Fastest Growing States In America.
For more West Virginia state reading:
- 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 2021
1. Charles Town
/10
Population: 5,943
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Population 2010: 5,074
Percent Growth 17.1%
Absolute Growth: 869
More on Charles Town: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
2. Oak Hill
/10
Population: 8,336
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Population 2010: 7,659
Percent Growth 8.8%
Absolute Growth: 677
More on Oak Hill: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
3. Bridgeport
/10
Population: 8,556
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population 2010: 7,978
Percent Growth 7.2%
Absolute Growth: 578
More on Bridgeport: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
4. Morgantown
/10
Population: 30,712
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 29,076
Percent Growth 5.6%
Absolute Growth: 1,636
More on Morgantown: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
5. Hurricane
/10
Population: 6,482
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Population 2010: 6,264
Percent Growth 3.5%
Absolute Growth: 218
More on Hurricane: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
6. Martinsburg
/10
Population: 17,475
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Population 2010: 17,133
Percent Growth 2.0%
Absolute Growth: 342
More on Martinsburg: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
7. Elkins
/10
Population: 7,072
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Population 2010: 7,144
Percent Growth -1.0%
Absolute Growth: -72
More on Elkins: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
8. Fairmont
/10
Population: 18,458
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 18,865
Percent Growth -2.2%
Absolute Growth: -407
More on Fairmont: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
9. Buckhannon
/10
Population: 5,486
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 5,628
Percent Growth -2.5%
Absolute Growth: -142
More on Buckhannon: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
10. Grafton
/10
Population: 5,061
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Population 2010: 5,212
Percent Growth -2.9%
Absolute Growth: -151
More on Grafton: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Mountain State for 2021
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we simply had to look at the growth rates for cities sine 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 2018)
We ranked all 27 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]
Here's a graph of the cities in West Virginia with the largest percent increase in population:
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.
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):
- Nitro
- Moundsville
- 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
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In West Virginia For 2021
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Town | 17.1% |
| 2 | Oak Hill | 8.8% |
| 3 | Bridgeport | 7.2% |
| 4 | Morgantown | 5.6% |
| 5 | Hurricane | 3.5% |
| 6 | Martinsburg | 2.0% |
| 7 | Elkins | -1.0% |
| 8 | Fairmont | -2.2% |
| 9 | Buckhannon | -2.5% |
| 10 | Grafton | -2.9% |
