Citable statement
In ACS 2024, 43,945 people living in West Virginia reported living in another U.S. state one year earlier (± 4,712), and 36,791 people living in another state reported living in West Virginia a year earlier (± 4,611), both at 90% margin of error.
ACS 2024 Table T13 · Source, limits and how to cite
Net interstate balance
West Virginia recorded 7,154 more arrivals from other states than departures to them (difference ± 6,593, 90% MOE). That balance is larger than its own margin of error, so the direction is distinguishable from zero at 90% confidence.
Newer estimate · Vintage 2025
West Virginia's population in the year to July 2025
On July 1, 2025, West Virginia had an estimated 1,766,147 residents, 1,255 fewer than a year earlier (−0.07%). Ranked by that rate of change, it is 49th of the 50 states and DC.
- Natural change (births minus deaths)−7,887
- Net international migration+244
- Net domestic migration (other states)+6,408
Net domestic migration (6,408) and net international migration (244) added people, while natural change (7,887) took them away; the losses were the larger side. Deaths outnumbered births, 24,841 to 16,954. The remaining 20 is the Census Bureau's residual, change the three parts do not explain.
Net domestic migration came to 3.6 per 1,000 residents, 13th among the 50 states and DC. Counting international arrivals too, net migration was 3.8 per 1,000.
Against the April 2020 estimates base of 1,793,759, the 2025 estimate is down 1.5%.
Both Census sources point the same way: the state-to-state survey counted more arrivals than departures, outside its margin of error, and the 2025 estimate puts net domestic migration at +6,408.
Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates, released January 2026
Paired directions · Latest ACS
West Virginia's largest two-way state exchanges
Virginia and West Virginia form the largest measured two-way pair for West Virginia: 7,315 people arrived from Virginia, while 4,965 left for Virginia, 12,280 in both directions together.
- Partner
- Virginia
- Into West Virginia
- 7,315
- Out of West Virginia
- 4,965
- Net direction at 90%
- Not established · Difference 2,350 ± 2,876
- Partner
- Ohio
- Into West Virginia
- 4,466
- Out of West Virginia
- 6,646
- Net direction at 90%
- Not established · Difference 2,180 ± 2,579
- Partner
- Pennsylvania
- Into West Virginia
- 6,425
- Out of West Virginia
- 3,296
- Net direction at 90%
- More arrived from Pennsylvania · Difference 3,129 ± 1,776
- Partner
- Maryland
- Into West Virginia
- 3,355
- Out of West Virginia
- 2,338
- Net direction at 90%
- Not established · Difference 1,017 ± 1,447
- Partner
- Florida
- Into West Virginia
- 2,474
- Out of West Virginia
- 3,114
- Net direction at 90%
- Not established · Difference 640 ± 2,101
1 of these 5 pairs have a directional difference larger than its own 90% margin of error. How the difference is tested.
Next door or across the country?
53% of the arrivals counted in the state-to-state table came from the 5 states sharing a land border with West Virginia: most newcomers moved from next door rather than across the country. The largest bordering source was Virginia, with 7,315. The largest source beyond its borders was North Carolina (2,786).
Largest inbound origins
- Virginia → West Virginia7,315 ± 2,190
- Pennsylvania → West Virginia6,425 ± 1,386
- Ohio → West Virginia4,466 ± 1,665
- Maryland → West Virginia3,355 ± 1,131
- North Carolina → West Virginia2,786 ± 1,215
- Florida → West Virginia2,474 ± 1,419
- Texas → West Virginia2,296 ± 945
- Oregon → West Virginia2,188 ± 2,703
- Georgia → West Virginia1,731 ± 1,571
- Kentucky → West Virginia1,123 ± 599
Largest outbound destinations
- West Virginia → Ohio6,646 ± 1,970
- West Virginia → Virginia4,965 ± 1,864
- West Virginia → Pennsylvania3,296 ± 1,111
- West Virginia → Florida3,114 ± 1,550
- West Virginia → Kentucky2,915 ± 1,687
- West Virginia → Maryland2,338 ± 902
- West Virginia → South Carolina1,889 ± 1,097
- West Virginia → Illinois1,335 ± 1,153
- West Virginia → Georgia1,195 ± 974
- West Virginia → California1,037 ± 729
Ranked corridors out of West Virginia (1)
- West Virginia → Ohio6,646 ± 1,970
Ranked corridors into West Virginia (2)
- Virginia → West Virginia7,315 ± 2,190
- Pennsylvania → West Virginia6,425 ± 1,386
Largest inbound origin: Virginia. Largest outbound destination: Ohio.