Now that we’re headed towards the next big election, we wanted to get a better sense of what parts of West Virginia would be the most likely to back Donald Trump again.
Specifically, which cities have the highest number of conservative voters in the Mountain State?
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to measure how each city in West Virginia with populations greater than 5,000 voted in past elections. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Republican were named the most conservative cities in the state.
76.5% Republican vote · #2 most conservative in West Virginia
Located in
Mercer County, West Virginia
Princeton, often referred to as the “Jewel of the South,” is a city in and the county seat of Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 6,432 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,342. The town hosts the Princeton Rays baseball club of the Appalachian League.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
76.5% Republican vote · #2 most conservative in West Virginia
Located in
Mercer County, West Virginia
Bluefield is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 10,447 at the 2010 census. It is the core city of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area, which has a population of 107,342.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
76.0% Republican vote · #3 most conservative in West Virginia
Located in
Upshur County, West Virginia
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,639 at the 2010 census. Buckhannon is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, held annually on the third week of May. The city is located 115 miles northeast from the capital city of Charleston and 140 miles south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
74.9% Republican vote · #4 most conservative in West Virginia
New Martinsville is a city in Wetzel County, West Virginia, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 5,366 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Wetzel County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
74.5% Republican vote · #5 most conservative in West Virginia
Located in
Raleigh County, West Virginia
Beckley is a city in and the county seat of Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States. It was founded on April 4, 1838. Beckley was named in honor of John James Beckley, who was the first Clerk of the House of Representatives and the first Librarian of Congress. It was founded by his son Alfred Beckley. The current mayor is Rob Rappold
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
74.3% Republican vote · #6 most conservative in West Virginia
Located in
Wayne County, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell County and Wayne County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Cabell County, and largest city in the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, sometimes referred to as the Tri-State Area. A historic and bustling city of commerce and heavy industry, Huntington has long-flourished due to its ideal location on the Ohio River at the mouth of the Guyandotte River. It is home to the Port of Huntington Tri-State, the busiest inland port in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
74.1% Republican vote · #8 most conservative in West Virginia
Located in
Marshall County, West Virginia
Moundsville is a city in Marshall County, West Virginia, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia metropolitan area. The population was 9,318 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. The city was named for the nearby ancient Grave Creek Mound, constructed 250 to 100 BC by indigenous people of the Adena culture.
Moundsville was settled in 1771 by English colonists Samuel and James Tomlinson. Fostoria Glass Company was headquartered in Moundsville from 1891 to 1986. The retired West Virginia State Penitentiary operated in Moundsville from 1867 to 1995.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
74.1% Republican vote · #8 most conservative in West Virginia
Located in
Ohio County, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located almost entirely in Ohio County, of which it is the county seat, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Wheeling was originally a settlement in the British colony of Virginia and later an important city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Wheeling was the first state capital of West Virginia. Due to its location along major transportation routes, including the Ohio River, National Road, and the B&O Railroad, Wheeling became a manufacturing center in the late nineteenth century. After experiencing the closing of factories and substantial population loss following World War II, Wheeling’s major industries now include healthcare, education, law and legal services, entertainment and tourism, and energy.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
71.1% Republican vote · #9 most conservative in West Virginia
Located in
Randolph County, West Virginia
Elkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, USA. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins, a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 7,094 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County. Elkins is home to Davis and Elkins College and to the Mountain State Forest Festival, held in early October every year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
71.1% Republican vote · #10 most conservative in West Virginia
Located in
Hancock County, West Virginia
Weirton is a city in Brooke and Hancock counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located primarily in Hancock County, the city lies in the northern portions of the state’s Northern Panhandle region. As of the 2010 census, the city’s population was 19,746. It is a principal city within the Weirton-Steubenville Metropolitan Area, which had a population of 124,454 residents, and by extension part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is West Virginia’s statewide median.
On the map
Mapping the conservative strongholds in West Virginia
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most conservative cities in West Virginia for 2026
To find the most conservative places in West Virginia, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most conservatives.
We started by making a list of every city in West Virginia over 5,000 people based on the 2020-2024 American Community Survey. That left us with 26 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places rock the most rightward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For The Republican President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Republicans, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
Next, we ranked each city from 1 to 26 for each criterion, where number one was the most conservative.
The winner, Princeton, is “The Most Conservative City in West Virginia For 2026”. The most liberal place in West Virginia was Morgantown.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the most conservative places to live in West Virginia.
The full plate
Most Conservative Places In West Virginia
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Conservative Score | Population | % Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton | 1.50 | 5,736 | 76.5% |
| 1 | Bluefield | 1.50 | 9,387 | 76.5% |
| 3 | Buckhannon | 3.00 | 5,116 | 76.0% |
| 4 | New Martinsville | 4.00 | 5,133 | 74.9% |
| 5 | Beckley | 5.00 | 16,818 | 74.5% |
| 6 | Huntington | 6.00 | 45,787 | 74.3% |
| 7 | Moundsville | 7.50 | 7,869 | 74.1% |
| 7 | Wheeling | 7.50 | 26,350 | 74.1% |
| 9 | Elkins | 9.00 | 6,811 | 71.1% |
| 10 | Weirton | 10.00 | 18,647 | 71.1% |
| 11 | Nitro | 12.50 | 6,853 | 70.3% |
| 11 | Hurricane | 12.50 | 6,855 | 70.3% |
| 13 | Vienna | 14.50 | 10,518 | 70.2% |
| 13 | Parkersburg | 14.50 | 29,240 | 70.2% |
| 15 | Oak Hill | 16.00 | 7,937 | 68.7% |
| 16 | Bridgeport | 17.50 | 9,252 | 67.9% |
| 16 | Clarksburg | 17.50 | 15,549 | 67.9% |
| 18 | Martinsburg | 19.00 | 18,904 | 64.6% |
| 19 | Fairmont | 20.00 | 18,221 | 63.2% |
| 21 | St. Albans | 25.00 | 10,522 | 56.4% |
| 21 | South Charleston | 25.00 | 13,457 | 56.4% |
| 21 | Charleston | 25.00 | 47,421 | 56.4% |
| 21 | Dunbar | 25.00 | 7,254 | 56.4% |
| 24 | Charles Town | 28.50 | 7,337 | 54.3% |
| 24 | Allenspark | 28.50 | 5,729 | 54.3% |
| 26 | Morgantown | 30.00 | 30,236 | 49.4% |
Source: county-level 2020 election results, U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 26 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summing Up The Conservative Strongholds in West Virginia
Well, there you have it, the places in West Virginia that have the highest number of conservatives per capita, with Princeton ranking as the most conservative in the entire state.
The most conservative cities in West Virginia are Princeton, Bluefield, Buckhannon, New Martinsville, Beckley, Huntington, Moundsville, Wheeling, Elkins, and Weirton.
If you’re curious, here are the least conservative cities in West Virginia. Not sold on West Virginia? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
