Webster County, West Virginia
| Webster County, West Virginia | |
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The Webster County Courthouse in Webster Springs in 2007
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 Location in the U.S. state of West Virginia |
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 West Virginia's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | January 10, 1860 |
| Named for | Daniel Webster |
| Seat | Webster Springs |
| Largest town | Webster Springs |
| Area | |
| • Total | 556 sq mi (1,440 km2) |
| • Land | 553 sq mi (1,432 km2) |
| • Water | 2.8 sq mi (7 km2), 0.5% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2014) | 8,834 |
| • Density | 16/sq mi (6/km²) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | www |
Webster County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,154.[1] Its county seat is Webster Springs.[2] The county was founded in 1860 and named for Daniel Webster.[3]
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 556 square miles (1,440 km2), of which 553 square miles (1,430 km2) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) (0.5%) is water.[4]
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Lewis County (north)
- Upshur County (north)
- Randolph County (east)
- Pocahontas County (southeast)
- Greenbrier County (south)
- Nicholas County (southwest)
- Braxton County (west)
National protected area
- Monongahela National Forest (part)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 1,555 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,730 | 11.3% | |
| 1880 | 3,207 | 85.4% | |
| 1890 | 4,783 | 49.1% | |
| 1900 | 8,862 | 85.3% | |
| 1910 | 9,680 | 9.2% | |
| 1920 | 11,562 | 19.4% | |
| 1930 | 14,216 | 23.0% | |
| 1940 | 18,080 | 27.2% | |
| 1950 | 17,888 | −1.1% | |
| 1960 | 13,719 | −23.3% | |
| 1970 | 9,809 | −28.5% | |
| 1980 | 12,245 | 24.8% | |
| 1990 | 10,729 | −12.4% | |
| 2000 | 9,719 | −9.4% | |
| 2010 | 9,154 | −5.8% | |
| Est. 2014 | 8,834 | [5] | −3.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8] 1990–2000[9] 2010–2014[1] |
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As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 9,719 people, 4,010 households, and 2,815 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile (7/km²). There were 5,273 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 99.18% White, 0.01% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.01% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,010 households out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.00% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 27.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $21,055, and the median income for a family was $25,049. Males had a median income of $25,362 versus $15,381 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,284. About 26.60% of families and 31.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.40% of those under age 18 and 21.00% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Since 1863, Webster County has voted Democratic in every presidential election with the exceptions of 1972 and 2012. In 1972, Nixon carried the county by a mere 1.0% against George McGovern. However in 2012 Mitt Romney carried the county handily with a 28% margin.[11]
Communities
Towns
- Camden-on-Gauley
- Cowen
- Webster Springs (county seat; legally Town of Addison)
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
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Notable residents
- Josh Stewart, actor
See also
- Big Ditch Wildlife Management Area
- Holly River State Park
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Webster County, West Virginia
References
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- ↑ http://www.wvculture.org/history/counties/webster.html
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- ↑ CNN 2012 Election site
Further reading
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (Historical sketches of Webster County)
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Webster County, West Virginia. |
- Official website
- Official website of the Webster County Woodchopping Festival
- Two-Lane Livin' Magazine
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Lewis County and Upshur County | |
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| Braxton County |  |
Randolph County | ||
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| Nicholas County | Greenbrier County | Pocahontas County |
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Municipalities and communities of Webster County, West Virginia, United States
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| Towns |
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| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities |
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| Ghost towns | ||
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