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US State economic profile
West Virginia - Economic Profile
Statistics, economic information and rankings for the Mountain State
In 2026, the state of West Virginia has a population of 1,763,598, having declined an annualized -0.2% over the five years to 2026, which ranks it 50th out of all 50 US states by growth rate. West Virginia's gross state product (GSP) in 2026 reached $83.5b, with growth of 1.8% over the 5 years to 2026. Businesses in West Virginia employed a total of 661,369 people in 2026, with average annual employment growth over the past five years of 1.1%. The top three sectors by total employment are Mining, Healthcare & Social Assistance, Real Estate & Rental & Leasing, while the unemployment rate across the state in 2026 was 4.6%.
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State economic profile
West Virginia Economic Overview
$83.5b
Gross state product
1,763,598
Population
119,589
Businesses
What is West Virginia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)?
In 2026, West Virginia's GDP reached $83.5b, representing an increase of 1.8% from 2025. West Virginia's GDP has grown at an annualized rate of 1.2% over the five years to 2026. Moreover, West Virginia's trailing five-year GDP growth ranks it 29th out of all 50 US states.
State GDP, or Gross State Product, is a measurement of a state's output, or the sum of value added from all industries in the state. It is a common indicator used to track the health of a state's economy.
You can track trends in West Virginia's GDP, and compare them to the national average, using the chart below.
State economic profile
West Virginia Industry Trends
Learn about current trends affecting the most significant industries for West Virginia's state economy, down to the county level. IBISWorld offers state industry research reports on over 30,000 industries across all 50 states in the US, including 615 industries in West Virginia.
What are West Virginia's Largest Industries by Revenue?
The largest industries by revenue in West Virginia are Hospitals, Coal Mining and New Car Dealers, which generated $12.0b, $6.7b and $6.1b in 2026.
| Industry | 2026 revenue | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hospitals | $12.0b |
| 2. | Coal Mining | $6.7b |
| 3. | New Car Dealers | $6.1b |
| 4. | Health & Medical Insurance | $5.6b |
| 5. | Oil Drilling & Gas Extraction | $5.5b |
| 6. | Commercial Banking | $4.9b |
| 7. | Brand Name Pharmaceutical Manufacturing | $4.9b |
| 8. | Gasoline & Petroleum Bulk Stations | $4.6b |
| 9. | Pharmacies & Drug Stores | $4.3b |
| 10. | Gas Stations with Convenience Stores | $4.1b |
State economic profile
Top Companies in West Virginia
Learn about current trends affecting the top companies in West Virginia. IBISWorld offers benchmarking data and tools on over 5,000 companies in the US.
Top 10 Companies Headquartered in West Virginia by Employment
The largest companies by employment in West Virginia are The West Virginia University Health System, Walmart and Charleston Area Medical Center, which employed 26,452, 12,928 and 10,500 people in 2026.
| Company | 2026 employment | Share of employment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | The West Virginia University Health System | 26,452 | 4.0% |
| 2. | Walmart | 12,928 | 2.0% |
| 3. | Charleston Area Medical Center | 10,500 | 1.6% |
| 4. | West Virginia University | 6,138 | 0.9% |
| 5. | Kroger | 4,321 | 0.7% |
| 6. | United States Postal Service | 3,220 | 0.5% |
| 7. | Lowes Companies | 3,114 | 0.5% |
| 8. | Mon Health | 1,645 | 0.2% |
| 9. | Target | 1,397 | 0.2% |
| 10. | Home Depot | 1,314 | 0.2% |
State economic profile
West Virginia Sector Statistics
In West Virginia, certain sectors drive a higher share of state GDP and employ more workers than others. However, simply looking at raw numbers doesn't always tell the whole story. Factoring in the current year growth percentage, in addition to the annualized growth percentage over the past five years, will give you a deeper understanding of the economic situation.
What is West Virginia's GDP by Sector?
The Mining, Healthcare & Social Assistance and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing sectors contributed the most to West Virginia's GDP in 2026, representing a combined 45.5% of state GDP.
GDP trends by sector are an important indicator of which sectors are contributing the most value-add to the state economy, in addition to how the state economy is evolving over time.
| Sector | GDP | Growth 2026 | Annualized growth 2021-26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining | 14,180,797,913 | 10.4% | 11.2% |
| Healthcare & Social Assistance | 10,626,245,349 | 4.4% | 4.7% |
| Real Estate & Rental & Leasing | 9,370,451,655 | 2.4% | 2.9% |
| Manufacturing | 6,978,691,265 | -0.7% | -1.3% |
| Retail Trade | 6,159,305,129 | 3.7% | 3.3% |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | 4,555,036,135 | 6.7% | 7.5% |
| Wholesale Trade | 3,157,519,498 | -1.5% | -1.5% |
| Finance & Insurance | 2,976,761,081 | 1.6% | 1.4% |
| Administration, Business Support and Waste Management Services | 2,704,984,802 | 4.4% | 5.4% |
| Construction | 2,384,022,532 | -3.9% | -4.5% |
| Accommodation & Food Services | 2,372,145,426 | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Information | 2,236,112,372 | 6.1% | 5.8% |
| Transportation & Warehousing | 1,835,216,204 | -2.1% | -3.0% |
| Utilities | 1,745,245,483 | -3.1% | -2.5% |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,457,516,714 | -0.7% | -0.0% |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,142,642,196 | 3.2% | 3.7% |
| Arts, Entertainment & Recreation | 542,688,442 | 5.8% | 5.5% |
| Educational Services | 404,888,607 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting | 346,587,891 | -0.3% | 2.1% |
What is West Virginia's Employment by Sector?
The Healthcare & Social Assistance, Retail Trade and Accommodation & Food Services sectors contributed the most to employment in West Virginia in 2026, representing a combined 48.0% of state employment.
Employment trends by sector are an important indicator of which sectors are growing or contracting most rapidly relative to the state economy as a whole.
| Sector | Employment | Growth 2026 | Annualized growth 2021-26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare & Social Assistance | 160,917 | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| Retail Trade | 90,391 | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| Accommodation & Food Services | 65,940 | 0.0% | 2.7% |
| Manufacturing | 54,735 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Construction | 37,922 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Administration, Business Support and Waste Management Services | 37,815 | 0.2% | -0.7% |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | 34,083 | 0.6% | 2.0% |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 27,884 | -0.0% | 1.8% |
| Transportation & Warehousing | 23,731 | 3.2% | 2.4% |
| Finance & Insurance | 22,367 | -0.4% | 1.5% |
| Educational Services | 21,922 | -1.8% | 0.7% |
| Wholesale Trade | 17,988 | -0.3% | -0.0% |
| Mining | 17,955 | -0.2% | 0.9% |
| Arts, Entertainment & Recreation | 15,099 | -0.7% | 0.4% |
| Real Estate & Rental & Leasing | 14,282 | -0.4% | 1.2% |
| Utilities | 9,585 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Information | 7,318 | -1.6% | -2.2% |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting | 1,435 | N/A | -1.7% |
State economic profile
West Virginia Employment Trends
661.4k
Employment
4.6%
Unemployment
What Employment Trends are Impacting West Virginia?
The state of West Virginia employs 661,369 people in 2026, which ranks it 42nd out of all 50 US states. Employment in West Virginia has grown at an annualized rate of 1.4% over the five years to 2026, underperforming the national average of 1.7%. Major sectors by employment in West Virginia include Healthcare & Social Assistance, Retail Trade and Accommodation & Food Services, which employed 160,917, 90,391 and 65,940 people in 2026, respectively. West Virginia's unemployment rate is 4.6% in 2026, which ranks it 30th out of all 50 US states. West Virginia's unemployment rate has trended downwards at a rate of -2.2% over the five years to 2026, overperforming the US economy as a whole.
Employment trends indicate the degree of tightness or slack in labor markets, in addition to the overall strength of an economy. Faster employment growth typically indicates a strong and growing economy, while lower unemployment tends to imply tightness in labor markets.
You can track unemployment trends in West Virginia, and compare them to the US economy, using the chart below.
$79.3k
Per capita disposable income
What is West Virginia's Per Capita Disposable Income?
Per capita disposable income, also known as disposable personal income (DPI), is the amount of money that the average person in an economy has available for spending and saving after accounting for income taxes. West Virginia's DPI in 2026 was $79.3k, compared to the US average of $156.5k, which places it 16th out of all 50 US states.
Disposable income is regarded as a key economic indicator as trends in disposable income are indicative of the level of aggregate demand, the state of labor markets and the financial strength of households.
You can track trends in West Virginia's per capita disposable income, and compare it to the US average, using the chart below.
State economic profile
West Virginia Construction & Building Trends
$3,259.0tn
Nonresidential construction
$1.0tn
Residential construction
3,902
Building permits
What can construction trends tell you about a state’s economy?
In West Virginia, non-residential construction was $3,259.0tn in 2026, which ranks it 49th out of all 50 US states. Residential construction was $1.0tn in 2026, which places West Virginia 37th out of all 50 US states. The number of building permits issued in West Virginia in 2026 was 3,902, representing a -0.2% annualized growth rate between 2021 and 2026.
Trends in the construction sector are important because it creates jobs, income and tax revenue for a state. In addition, construction sector activity impacts other sectors in its supply chain, including manufacturing, wholesaling, warehousing, transportation, and real estate, rental and leasing services. Therefore, construction trends are important indicators of the health of an economy.
You can track trends in the number of building permits issued in West Virginia, and compare it to trends in the number issued in the United States as a whole, using the chart below.
State economic profile
West Virginia Population Statistics
Which Counties in West Virginia have the Largest Populations?
The counties with the highest populations in West Virginia are Kanawha County, Berkeley County and Monongalia County, which had populations of 170,324, 142,129 and 109,527 people in 2026.
| Region | 2026 population | Annual growth 2021-26 | Share of population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha | 170.3k | -0.9% | 9.7% |
| Berkeley | 142.1k | 2.4% | 8.1% |
| Monongalia | 109.5k | 0.6% | 6.2% |
| Cabell | 90.4k | -0.6% | 5.1% |
| Wood | 81.9k | -0.4% | 4.7% |
| Raleigh | 70.6k | -0.8% | 4.0% |
| Harrison | 63.7k | -0.5% | 3.6% |
| Jefferson | 61.7k | 1.1% | 3.5% |
| Mercer | 56.6k | -0.8% | 3.2% |
| Putnam | 56.6k | -0.2% | 3.2% |
| Marion | 55.6k | -0.1% | 3.1% |
| Ohio | 40.3k | -0.8% | 2.3% |
| Fayette | 37.8k | -1.1% | 2.1% |
| Wayne | 36.6k | -1.0% | 2.1% |
| Preston | 33.9k | -0.2% | 1.9% |
| Greenbrier | 31.4k | -0.8% | 1.8% |
| Logan | 29.5k | -1.5% | 1.7% |
| Marshall | 28.4k | -1.1% | 1.6% |
| Hancock | 27.5k | -0.7% | 1.6% |
| Jackson | 27.4k | -0.3% | 1.6% |
| Mineral | 26.8k | -0.1% | 1.5% |
| Randolph | 26.7k | -0.8% | 1.5% |
| Mason | 24.2k | -0.8% | 1.4% |
| Hampshire | 24.1k | 0.6% | 1.4% |
| Nicholas | 23.8k | -0.6% | 1.4% |
State economic profile
West Virginia Demographics
In West Virginia, 24.9% of the population has a Bachelors or higher. The largest ethnic group in West Virginia is White, accounting for 89.9% of the state's population.
Education level in West Virginia
| Education level | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Bachelors or higher | 24.9 |
| Other | 75.1 |
Race in West Virginia
| Race | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| White | 89.9 |
| Black | 3.8 |
| Hispanic | 2.7 |
| Other | 2.5 |
| Asian | 1.1 |
West Virginia State industry reports
IBISWorld State Industry Reports help you quickly understand how an industry performs at the state level compared with the national level, with accurate and unbiased industry information with a local focus. Use this collection to:
- Discover key local industry trends
- Identify threats and opportunities at the subnational level
- Inform your business strategies and planning
See our list of 615 West Virginia industry reports.
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Compare West Virginia’s economy with other states in the United States.
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