How many people live in Raleigh County, WV?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 72,400 people living in Raleigh County, WV. That makes Raleigh County the sixth-most populous county in West Virginia. It is home to 4.1% of people living in the state.
72.4K
population of Raleigh County, WV (2024)
4.1%
County share of the West Virginia population (2024)
About 72,400 people lived in Raleigh County, WV in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Raleigh County, WV’s age demographics?
About 16,500 Raleigh County residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 22.8% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 21.9% of West Virginia’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 14,900 Raleigh County residents, or 20.6% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 19.7% of West Virginia’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of Raleigh County, WV's population is aged 65 or older than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Raleigh County, WV’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic white residents make up 87% of the Raleigh County population, higher than the national share of 57.5%.
In contrast, Raleigh County’s Hispanic population accounts for 2%, below the 20% nationwide, and the non-Hispanic Asian population makes up 0.71% of the county, compared with 6.5% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Raleigh County, WV has a higher share of a non-Hispanic Black or African American population than West Virginia as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Raleigh County, WV is Beckley with about 16,500 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Raleigh County, WV ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Beckley | 16,515 |
| 2. | Mabscott | 1,278 |
| 3. | Sophia | 1,081 |
| 4. | Lester | 333 |
| 5. | Whitesville (pt.) | |
| 6. | Balance of Raleigh County | 53,172 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
