Gilmer County, West Virginia

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 340 sqmi, of which 339 sqmi is land and 1.6 sqmi (0.5%) is water.

In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into magisterial districts. Gilmer County was divided into four districts: Centre, De Kalb, Glenville, and Troy. In the 1980s, De Kalb and Troy Districts were combined to form De Kalb-Troy District, and a new district, City, was established.

Major highways

• [[Image:US 33.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 33
• [[Image:US 119.svg|23px]] U.S. Highway 119
• [[Image:WV-5.svg|20px]] West Virginia Route 5
• [[Image:WV-18.svg|20px]] West Virginia Route 18
• [[Image:WV-47.svg|20px]] West Virginia Route 47
• [[Image:WV-74.svg|20px]] West Virginia Route 74
• [[Image:I-79 (WV).svg|20px]] Interstate 79 (No exits within county)

Adjacent counties

• Doddridge County (north)
• Lewis County (east)
• Braxton County (south)
• Calhoun County (west)
• Ritchie County (northwest)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 7,408. Of the residents, 15.3% were under the age of 18 and 18.1% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 42.5 years. For every 100 females there were 153.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 159.9 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 84.0% White, 12.6% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% from some other race, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.3% of the population.

There were 2,522 households in the county, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 3,090 housing units, of which 18.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.4% were owner-occupied and 27.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.8%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 8,693 people, 2,753 households, and 1,806 families living in the county. The population density was 25.7 PD/sqmi. There were 3,448 housing units at an average density of 10.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 82.5% white, 12.3% black or African American, 0.5% American Indian, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.1% were German, 14.9% were Irish, 9.6% were American, and 6.1% were English.

Of the 2,753 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.4% were non-families, and 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age was 38.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,706 and the median income for a family was $38,044. Males had a median income of $30,654 versus $16,834 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,899. About 25.1% of families and 30.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.4% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,160 people, 2,768 households, and 1,862 families living in the county. The population density was 21 /mi2. There were 3,621 housing units at an average density of 11 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 97.33% White, 0.91% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. 0.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,768 households, out of which 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.40% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.30% under the age of 18, 16.40% from 18 to 24, 24.50% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $22,857, and the median income for a family was $28,685. Males had a median income of $25,497 versus $15,353 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,498. About 20.20% of families and 25.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.70% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Historically, Gilmer County was the northwesternmost of the fiercely Democratic, secessionist counties of West Virginia. It voted Democratic in every election from 1872 to 1968 – in 1928 when there was large-scale anti-Catholic voting throughout Appalachian West Virginia it was Al Smith’s strongest county in the state. In 1972, against the strongly left-wing George McGovern, Richard Nixon became the first Republican to carry the county in 104 years, and in a similar landslide Ronald Reagan repeated this in 1984. Like all of West Virginia, since 2000 Gilmer County has seen a powerful swing towards the Republican Party due to declining unionization and differences with the Democratic Party's liberal views.

Communities

Towns

• Glenville (county seat)
• Sand Fork

Magisterial districts

• Center
• City
• De Kalb-Troy
• Glenville

Unincorporated communities

• Baldwin
• Cedarville
• Coxs Mills
• Dusk
• Gilmer
• Letter Gap
• Linn
• Normantown
• Rosedale
• Shock
• Stouts Mills
• Stumptown
• Tanner
• Troy

Footnotes

References

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. "Gilmer County history sources".
4. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
5. "The Glenville Democrat (July 5, 2012) Page 1".
6. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
7. Otis K. Rice & Stephen W. Brown, ''West Virginia: A History'', 2nd ed., University Press of Kentucky, Lexington (1993), p. 240.
8. [[United States Census Bureau]], [[United States Census. U.S. Decennial Census]], Tables of Minor Civil Divisions in West Virginia, 1870–2010.
9. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021".
10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
14. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
15. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
16. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Gilmer County, West Virginia". [[United States Census Bureau]].
17. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Gilmer County, West Virginia".
18. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Gilmer County, West Virginia".
19. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". [[United States Census Bureau]].
20. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". [[United States Census Bureau]].
21. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". [[United States Census Bureau]].
22. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". [[United States Census Bureau]].
23. Scammon, Richard M. (compiler); ''America at the Polls: A Handbook of Presidential Election Statistics 1920-1964''; pp. 494-498 {{ISBN. 0405077114
24. Schwartzman, Gabe; [http://www.dailyyonder.com/how-coalfields-went-gop/2015/01/13/7668/ ‘How Central Appalachia Went Right’]; ''Daily Yonder'', January 13, 2015
25. Cohn, Nate; [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/upshot/southern-whites-loyalty-to-gop-nearing-that-of-blacks-to-democrats.html ‘Demographic Shift: Southern Whites’ Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats’], ''[[New York Times]]'', April 24, 2014
26. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".