Gilmer County, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gilmer County
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The Gilmer County Courthouse in Glenville
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Location within the U.S. state of West Virginia
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 West Virginia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  West Virginia |
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| Founded | February 3, 1845 | |
| Named for | Thomas Walker Gilmer | |
| Seat | Glenville | |
| Largest town | Glenville | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 340 sq mi (900 km2) | |
| • Land | 339 sq mi (880 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.6 sq mi (4 km2) 0.5%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,408 | |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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7,377  |
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| • Density | 21.8/sq mi (8.41/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 1st | |
Gilmer County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,408, making it West Virginia's fifth-least populous county. Its county seat is Glenville. The county was formed in 1845 from parts of Lewis and Kanawha Counties, and named for Thomas Walker Gilmer, Governor of Virginia from 1840 to 1841. Gilmer was later a representative in the United States Congress and Secretary of the Navy in President John Tyler's cabinet.
Cedar Creek State Park offers camping, fishing, swimming, and hiking. The West Virginia State Folk Festival is held each June. Glenville State University has a community activity center, a state-of-the-art library, and a complete collection of hand-carved, West Virginia–native birds on public display. The Gilmer County Recreation Center Complex includes a small golf course, a convention / reunion hall, and bunk houses. Gilmer County is home to ten nationally registered historic landmarks, the Cedar Creek Backway, and the annual West Virginia Folk Festival. Media outlets for the community include The Glenville Democrat and The Glenville Pathfinder, the county's two newspapers.
Gilmer County is also the site of Federal Correctional Institution, Gilmer, a federal medium security prison for men and the county's largest employer.
As of 2023, Gilmer County has one permanent traffic light. It is located in the town of Glenville.
Contents
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 340 square miles (880 km2), of which 339 square miles (880 km2) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) (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
U.S. Highway 33
U.S. Highway 119
West Virginia Route 5
West Virginia Route 18
West Virginia Route 47
West Virginia Route 74
Interstate 79 (No exits within county)
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Adjacent counties
- Doddridge County (north)
- Lewis County (east)
- Braxton County (south)
- Calhoun County (west)
- Ritchie County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 3,475 | — | |
| 1860 | 3,759 | 8.2% | |
| 1870 | 4,338 | 15.4% | |
| 1880 | 7,108 | 63.9% | |
| 1890 | 9,746 | 37.1% | |
| 1900 | 11,762 | 20.7% | |
| 1910 | 11,379 | −3.3% | |
| 1920 | 10,668 | −6.2% | |
| 1930 | 10,641 | −0.3% | |
| 1940 | 12,046 | 13.2% | |
| 1950 | 9,746 | −19.1% | |
| 1960 | 8,050 | −17.4% | |
| 1970 | 7,782 | −3.3% | |
| 1980 | 8,334 | 7.1% | |
| 1990 | 7,669 | −8.0% | |
| 2000 | 7,160 | −6.6% | |
| 2010 | 8,693 | 21.4% | |
| 2020 | 7,408 | −14.8% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 7,377 | −15.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
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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 inhabitants per square mile (9.9/km2). There were 3,448 housing units at an average density of 10.2 per square mile (3.9/km2). 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.
Communities
Towns
Magisterial districts
- Center
- City
- De Kalb-Troy
- Glenville
Unincorporated communities
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Gilmer (Virginia Occidental) para niños
