Bordering states
Virginia vs West Virginia
Short answer
- VA
- 8,811,195
- WV
- 1,769,979
The two states, county by county
Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.
Virginia
West Virginia
- < 36
- < 62
- < 124
- < 837
- ≥ 837
Residents, 2024
- 01Virginia8,811,195
- 02West Virginia1,769,979
Land, square miles
- 01Virginia39,481
- 02West Virginia24,041
People per square mile
- 01Virginia223.2
- 02West Virginia73.6
Median county household income
- 01Virginia$64,903
- 02West Virginia$53,187
Side by side
| Measure | Virginia | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2024 | 8,811,195 | 1,769,979 |
| Rank by population | 12th | 39th |
| Land, sq mi | 39,481 | 24,041 |
| People per sq mi | 223.2 | 73.6 |
| County-equivalents | 133 | 55 |
| Median county residents | 27,800 | 21,285 |
| Median county income | $64,903 | $53,187 |
| Most populous county | Fairfax County | Kanawha County |
| Largest county by land | Pittsylvania County | Randolph County |
| Capital | Richmond | Charleston |
| Daylight at capital, June 21 | 14 h 46 min | 14 h 50 min |
| Census division | South Atlantic | South Atlantic |
Population and density
Virginia has 8,811,195 residents, 5.0 times West Virginia's 1,769,979. Virginia ranks 12th and West Virginia 39th of the 50 states and DC. Virginia is the more crowded, with 223.2 people per square mile against 73.6, 3.0 times.
Land area
Virginia has 39,481 square miles of land, 64% more than West Virginia's 24,041. The largest county-equivalent in Virginia is Pittsylvania County at 969 square miles; in West Virginia it is Randolph County at 1,040.
Counties
Virginia is divided into 133 county-equivalents and West Virginia into 55, so an average Virginia county covers 297 square miles against 437. The typical county in Virginia has 27,800 residents, against 21,285 in West Virginia. The most populous are Fairfax County (1,160,925) and Kanawha County (173,906).
No county name appears in both states, so a county name alone is enough to tell which state a row belongs to.
Household income
The median county in Virginia has a household income of $64,903, 22% above West Virginia's $53,187. The highest county incomes are Loudoun County ($173,655) in Virginia and Jefferson County ($92,747) in West Virginia, from SAIPE 2023.
Capitals and daylight
Richmond and Charleston are 234 miles apart in a straight line; from Richmond the initial bearing is 285°, WNW. On June 21, 2026, Richmond gets 14 h 46 min of daylight and Charleston 14 h 50 min; on December 21 the figures are 9 h 34 min and 9 h 30 min. Month by month tables are on the Richmond and Charleston daylight pages.
Where they sit
Both are in the Census South Atlantic division of the South region. By county internal points, Virginia spans 2 UTM zones and West Virginia 2.
Questions people ask
Which is bigger, Virginia or West Virginia?
Virginia, with 39,481 square miles of land against 24,041, 1.64 times as large.
Which has more people, Virginia or West Virginia?
Virginia has 8,811,195 residents, 5.0 times West Virginia's 1,769,979.
How far is Richmond from Charleston?
234 miles in a straight line, heading WNW (285°) from Richmond.
Do Virginia and West Virginia have counties with the same name?
No. None of their county-level units share a name.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
- 04Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.