Real Estate Directory - West Virginia
Population: 1,810,354
Capital city/population: Charleston 51,394
Largest cities/population:
- Charleston - 51,394
- Huntington - 49,533
West Virginia is the 41st largest state, with a total area of 24,231 square miles. It has a somewhat humid climate, with hot summers and cold winters. The coldest area is the Cheat River basin; the warmest part is near the Tug Fork River in the southwest. Average winter temperatures vary from 34ºF - 40ºF, with summer temperatures ranging from 66ºF - 73ºF. Precipitation ranges from 32” – 60”; however, record snowfalls of 115” have occurred in the mountains. West Virginia was admitted into the Union on June 20, 1863. It is considered the southernmost northern state, and the northernmost southern state, and, according to 1997 rates, has the lowest crime rate in the nation.
HOUSING
Charleston – The average sales price for a single-family home increased 35%, to $301,736. Average days on the market remain approximately 50. Homes are selling at near 97% of the listed price. Charleston has undergone population growth in the past five years as Washingtonians seek to move to more affordable areas. Due to this, new home construction has not kept pace with demand, causing a rise in prices. This community still remains primarily agricultural, and strongly preserves its historical culture.
Huntington – Average price of a single-family home is $97,321. Huntington is committed to maintaining a viable downtown area, renovating many areas, developing a shopping square and technology center. Despite the fact that Huntington is the second largest city in the state, it has diverse community and an old-fashioned appeal.
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
Principal industries include manufacturing, services, mining, and tourism. Manufactured goods include machinery, plastic/hardwood products, fabricated metals, basic organic and inorganic chemicals, aluminum, and steel. Crops include apples, peaches, hay, tobacco, corn, oats, and wheat. Per capita income for 2000 was $16,477, with a total gross state product for 2004 of $49,774 million.
SCHOOLS
Under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, West Virginia reports that over 83% of the state’s schools met the Adequate Yearly Progress under the NCLB legislation. The state’s accountability plan focuses on closing the achievement gap between subgroups. All students are required to take the West Virginia Educational Standards Test, an assessment that measures student achievement of content standards and objectives. In the public sector, student-teacher ratio for 1994 was 14:8, with an average annual teachers’ salary for 1995 of $32,155.
The largest school of higher education is West Virginia University - Morgantown. Other state-supported schools include Marshall University – Huntington, West Virginia State College – Institute, West Liberty State College,- West Liberty, Fairmont State College, Concord College – Athens, West Virginia Institute of Technology – Montgomery, Bluefield State College, Glenville State College, Shepherd College – Shepherdstown, and Potomac State College of West Virginia University – Keyser.
Other institutions of higher learning in the state include the University of Charleston, Salem-Teikyo University - Salem; West Virginia Wesleyan College – Buckhannon, Beckley College, Bethany College, Wheeling College, Davis and Elkins College – Elkins, and Alderson-Broaddus College - Philippi.
HISTORY
During the American Revolution, the area was invaded three times by British-led forces. After the War, western Virginians supported the ratification of the Constitution, due to their desire fro a strong federal government. Population growth followed the opening of the Mississippi River, and the National Road at Wheeling; small farms began to fill the landscape. In the meantime, western Virginia was becoming politically separate from eastern Virginia, whose political landscape was dominated by wealthy, slave-holding planters. Constitutions and charters did little to fix the situation, and economic differences exacerbated the situation
At the beginning of the Civil War, western Virginians opposed the ordinance of secession; unable to stop it, westerners took advantage of the opportunity to separate from Virginia. They nullified the ordinance, declared the state government vacated, and formed a “restored” government. President Lincoln proclaimed admission of the state of West Virginia in 1863.
After the War and the abolishment of slavery, the state allowed African Americans the right to vote and hold public office in 1872. In 1885, the capital became fixed at Charleston.
Industrial expansion occurred late in the 19th century and continued on into the early part of World War I, when the state’s chemical industry was founded. This industry continued solidly through World War II, which also brought about boom times to mines and steel mills. However, labor problems, including low wages and dangerous working conditions, marked this time.
Economic conditions improved during the 1960s, as federal aid poured into the state, and efforts were made to attract new industry. A slump in the economy forced mine owners to lay off employees, resulting in a 21% unemployment rate in 1983. A recovery was made due to foreign investment and development of the tourism industry.
RELIGION (2000)
West Virginia, along with North Dakota, has the lowest ratio of population to congregations. West Virginia has one congregation for every 437 people. Only 36% of the population claims a religious affiliation.
DEMOGRAPHICS (2003)
- White non-Hispanic - 94.7%
- Black - 3.1%
- Hispanic - 0.7%
- Asian - 0.5%
- Native American - 0.2%
- Mixed race - 0.9%