The U.S. Census Bureau has released population figures for individual counties in this country for 2023. About 60 percent of the 3,144* counties gained population from 2022 to 2023. The biggest gainers were generally in the South and the West—with a couple notable exceptions—while the largest population declines were in the Midwest and Northeast.
Polk County, Florida, which is between Orlando and Tampa, had the largest net migration during the one year period of 29,606. Los Angeles County lost the most people, 26,029. However, Los Angeles County remains the most populous county in the country with 9.7 million people.
— Seven of the ten biggest growth counties were in Florida and Texas, while seven of the ten biggest losers were in California and New York.
Here are some of the Census findings for West Virginia representing changes in population from 2020 to 2023:
–Only three counties experienced net migration gains: Berkeley, Jefferson and Monongalia. Berkeley was the growth leader with an increase of 10,000 residents in just three years, to a population of 132,440.
–Sixteen counties had population declines of at least one-thousand residents during the three-year period: Boone, Brooke, Cabell, Fayette, Harrison, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Marshall, Mercer, Mingo, Ohio, Raleigh, Wayne, Wood and Wyoming.
–The remaining 36 counties either had no growth or population losses of fewer than one-thousand residents.
–Kanawha had the largest drop in population, down from 181,749 in 2020 to 174,805 last year. If the current trends continue, Berkeley will overtake Kanawha over the next ten years as the most populous county in the state.
–The most southern part of West Virginia continues to suffer significant population declines. The Census numbers show that Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming Counties lost a total of 6,085 residents during the three year period.
–When the populations of all 55 counties are added together, they show a drop from 1,793,713 in 2020 to 1,770,071. Today’s population is nearly the same as it was 50 years ago. Census figures show that in 1970, West Virginia had 1,744,237, so only about 50,000 more people live in our state today.
Economic growth and population expansion are intrinsically linked. Berkeley County is a perfect example. Businesses want to locate and expand where there is an available workforce and workers are attracted to where there is job growth.
This is the challenge that exists in many parts of West Virginia.
*(Correction: An earlier version of the commentary said the U.S. has 1,876 counties. What was incorrect. The correct number is 3,144.)