Boone County, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
 Boone County Courthouse in Madison | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofWest Virginia | |
 West Virginia's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:38°01′N81°43′W / 38.02°N 81.72°W /38.02; -81.72 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  West Virginia |
| Founded | March 11, 1847 |
| Named after | Daniel Boone |
| Seat | Madison |
| Largest city | Madison |
| Area | |
• Total | 503.19 sq mi (1,303.3 km2) |
| • Land | 501.53 sq mi (1,299.0 km2) |
| • Water | 1.66 sq mi (4.3 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 21,809 |
• Estimate (2021) | 21,312 |
| • Density | 43.48/sq mi (16.79/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Boone County is acounty in theU.S. state ofWest Virginia. As of the2020 census, the population was 21,809.[1] Itscounty seat isMadison.[2] Boone County is part of theCharleston, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. Leading industries and chief agricultural products in Boone County includecoal,lumber,natural gas,tobacco, andstrawberries.
The county was formed in 1847 with territories annexed fromKanawha,Cabell, andLogan counties. It was named for frontiersmanDaniel Boone, who lived in theGreat Kanawha Valley from 1789 until 1795.[3]
In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided intocivil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted intomagisterial districts.[4] Boone County was divided into five districts: Crook, Peytona, Scott, Sherman, and Washington. Between 1980 and 1990, the county was redivided into three magisterial districts: District 1, District 2, and District 3.[5]
On February 1, 2006, two fatalmining accidents occurred in the communities ofUneeda andWharton in Boone County. These two deaths with the addition of January'sSago Mine disaster and theAracoma Alma Mine disaster causedWest Virginia GovernorJoe Manchin to close all of West Virginia's mines in a "mine safety stand-down."
Boone County lies in the central southwestern part of West Virginia. Its terrain consists of low wooded mountains, carved with drainages.[6] The terrain slopes to the north and west, with its highest point at its south corner, at 3,212 ft (979 m) ASL.[7] The county has a total area of 503 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 502 square miles (1,300 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) (0.3%) is water.[8]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 3,237 | — | |
| 1860 | 4,840 | 49.5% | |
| 1870 | 4,553 | −5.9% | |
| 1880 | 5,824 | 27.9% | |
| 1890 | 6,885 | 18.2% | |
| 1900 | 8,194 | 19.0% | |
| 1910 | 10,331 | 26.1% | |
| 1920 | 15,319 | 48.3% | |
| 1930 | 24,586 | 60.5% | |
| 1940 | 28,556 | 16.1% | |
| 1950 | 33,173 | 16.2% | |
| 1960 | 28,764 | −13.3% | |
| 1970 | 25,118 | −12.7% | |
| 1980 | 30,447 | 21.2% | |
| 1990 | 25,870 | −15.0% | |
| 2000 | 25,535 | −1.3% | |
| 2010 | 24,629 | −3.5% | |
| 2020 | 21,809 | −11.4% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 21,312 | [9] | −2.3% |
| US Decennial Census[10] 1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12] 1990–2000[13] 2010–2020[1] | |||
As of thecensus of 2010, there were 24,629 people, 9,928 households, and 7,014 families in the county.[14] The population density was 49.1 people per square mile (19.0 people/km2). There were 11,070 housing units at an average density of 22.1 units per square mile (8.5 units/km2).[15] The racial makeup of the county was 98.5% white, 0.5% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.4% of the population.[14] In terms of ancestry, 15.4% wereGerman, 13.3% wereAmerican, 12.9% wereIrish, and 8.3% wereEnglish.[16]
Of the 9,928 households, 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.4% were non-families, and 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 40.7 years.[14]
The median income for a household in the county was $39,783 and the median income for a family was $47,981. Males had a median income of $51,740 versus $32,110 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,457. About 15.6% of families and 19.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.[17]
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 25,535 people, 10,291 households, and 7,460 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 50.9 people per square mile (19.7 people/km2). There were 11,575 housing units at an average density of 23.1 units per square mile (8.9 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.53%White, 0.65%Black orAfrican American, 0.12%Native American, 0.07%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.07% fromother races, and 0.54% from two or more races. 0.46% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
The largest ancestry groups in Boone County areEnglish (13%),Irish (12%) andGerman (11%).[18]
There were 10,291 households, out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.50% weremarried couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.92.
The county contained 23.20% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 26.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,669, and the median income for a family was $31,999. Males had a median income of $34,931 versus $19,607 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $14,453. About 18.30% of families and 22.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 27.90% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.
With the exception of the1972 Nixon landslide, Boone County voted Democratic in every presidential election from 1924 until 2012. In 2012, RepublicanMitt Romney won over sixty percent of the vote in the process of becoming the first presidential candidate to sweep every county in the state. Also in 2012, in the state's Democratic primaries, Boone County was one of the West Virginia counties that voted for eccentricperennial candidateKeith Russell Judd, who at the time was still in prison on felony charges, over incumbent presidentBarack Obama.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 416 | 16.80% | 1,119 | 45.19% | 941 | 38.00% |
| 1916 | 1,504 | 50.03% | 1,397 | 46.47% | 105 | 3.49% |
| 1920 | 2,674 | 50.31% | 2,529 | 47.58% | 112 | 2.11% |
| 1924 | 3,010 | 41.32% | 3,326 | 45.66% | 948 | 13.01% |
| 1928 | 4,000 | 45.27% | 4,805 | 54.39% | 30 | 0.34% |
| 1932 | 3,555 | 37.06% | 5,973 | 62.26% | 65 | 0.68% |
| 1936 | 3,477 | 31.12% | 7,697 | 68.88% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 4,128 | 34.31% | 7,904 | 65.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 3,449 | 35.14% | 6,366 | 64.86% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,909 | 30.00% | 6,769 | 69.81% | 19 | 0.20% |
| 1952 | 4,100 | 33.31% | 8,209 | 66.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 5,196 | 42.17% | 7,126 | 57.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 4,104 | 33.74% | 8,058 | 66.26% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 2,467 | 22.27% | 8,609 | 77.73% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,970 | 28.87% | 6,391 | 62.13% | 926 | 9.00% |
| 1972 | 5,985 | 52.84% | 5,342 | 47.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 3,072 | 26.48% | 8,528 | 73.52% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 4,164 | 34.70% | 7,515 | 62.63% | 321 | 2.68% |
| 1984 | 4,656 | 39.39% | 7,121 | 60.24% | 44 | 0.37% |
| 1988 | 2,786 | 29.81% | 6,539 | 69.97% | 20 | 0.21% |
| 1992 | 2,021 | 20.93% | 6,576 | 68.09% | 1,061 | 10.99% |
| 1996 | 1,917 | 21.49% | 6,048 | 67.79% | 957 | 10.73% |
| 2000 | 3,353 | 36.68% | 5,656 | 61.88% | 132 | 1.44% |
| 2004 | 4,207 | 41.25% | 5,933 | 58.18% | 58 | 0.57% |
| 2008 | 3,632 | 43.39% | 4,529 | 54.11% | 209 | 2.50% |
| 2012 | 5,467 | 64.30% | 2,790 | 32.82% | 245 | 2.88% |
| 2016 | 6,504 | 74.09% | 1,790 | 20.39% | 485 | 5.52% |
| 2020 | 6,816 | 75.62% | 2,041 | 22.65% | 156 | 1.73% |
| 2024 | 6,314 | 77.55% | 1,641 | 20.15% | 187 | 2.30% |
Most commonsurnames in Boone County as of 2014:[20]
| Rank | Surname | Persons | Origin(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miller | 405 | English /German /Irish /Scottish |
| 2 | Jarrell | 354 | English |
| 3 | Smith | 348 | English |
| 4 | Adkins | 329 | English |
| 5 | Hager | 295 | German |
| 6 | Ball | 292 | English |
| 7 | White | 275 | English /Irish /Scottish |
| 8 | Price | 270 | Welsh |
| 9 | Cook | 240 | English |
| 10 | Barker | 226 | English |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Places adjacent to Boone County, West Virginia | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofBoone County, West Virginia,United States | ||
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| Towns | ||
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| Unincorporated communities |
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
38°01′N81°43′W / 38.02°N 81.72°W /38.02; -81.72
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