Ritchie County, West Virginia
| Ritchie County, West Virginia | |
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Ritchie County Courthouse in Harrisville
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 Location in the U.S. state of West Virginia |
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 West Virginia's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | February 18, 1843 |
| Named for | Thomas Ritchie |
| Seat | Harrisville |
| Largest town | Harrisville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 454 sq mi (1,176 km2) |
| • Land | 452 sq mi (1,171 km2) |
| • Water | 1.7 sq mi (4 km2), 0.4% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2014) | 10,011 |
| • Density | 22/sq mi (8/km²) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | www |
Ritchie County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,449.[1] Its county seat is Harrisville.[2] The county was created in 1843 by the Virginia General Assembly and named for Richmond newspaper publisher Thomas Ritchie.[3]
Contents
History
In 1911, historian Minnie Kendall Lowther published "The History of Ritchie County." Her book is still regarded as one of the most comprehensive histories of any county in West Virginia.[4]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 454 square miles (1,180 km2), of which 452 square miles (1,170 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) (0.4%) is water.[5]
Major highways
U.S. Route 50- 20px West Virginia Route 16
- 20px West Virginia Route 31
- 20px West Virginia Route 47
West Virginia Route 74
Adjacent counties
- Pleasants County (north)
- Tyler County (northeast)
- Doddridge County (east)
- Gilmer County (southeast)
- Calhoun County (south)
- Wirt County (west)
- Wood County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 3,902 | — | |
| 1860 | 6,847 | 75.5% | |
| 1870 | 9,055 | 32.2% | |
| 1880 | 13,474 | 48.8% | |
| 1890 | 16,621 | 23.4% | |
| 1900 | 18,901 | 13.7% | |
| 1910 | 17,875 | −5.4% | |
| 1920 | 16,506 | −7.7% | |
| 1930 | 15,594 | −5.5% | |
| 1940 | 15,389 | −1.3% | |
| 1950 | 12,535 | −18.5% | |
| 1960 | 10,877 | −13.2% | |
| 1970 | 10,145 | −6.7% | |
| 1980 | 11,442 | 12.8% | |
| 1990 | 10,233 | −10.6% | |
| 2000 | 10,343 | 1.1% | |
| 2010 | 10,449 | 1.0% | |
| Est. 2014 | 10,011 | [6] | −4.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2014[1] |
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As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 10,343 people, 4,184 households, and 2,999 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 5,513 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.68% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 0.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,184 households out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.00% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,332, and the median income for a family was $34,809. Males had a median income of $28,147 versus $18,149 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,175. About 14.30% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.60% of those under age 18 and 14.10% of those age 65 or over.
Notable sights
- Historic Berdine's Five and Dime
- North Bend State Park
- North Bend Rail Trail
- The Double Scoop Ice Cream Parlor Cairo, WV
- Pine Hill Pottery
- Sunny Hollow Farms
- Old Stone House Museum
Communities
City
Towns
- Auburn
- Cairo
- Ellenboro
- Harrisville (county seat)
- Pullman
Unincorporated communities
See also
- Hughes River Wildlife Management Area
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Ritchie County, West Virginia
- North Bend State Park
- North Bend Rail Trail
- Ritchie Mines Wildlife Management Area
References
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Wood County | Pleasants County | Tyler County | |
| Wirt County |  |
Doddridge County | ||
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| Calhoun County | Gilmer County |
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Municipalities and communities of Ritchie County, West Virginia, United States
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| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities |
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| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes |
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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