West Virginia

State Office of Rural Health

West Virginia State Office of Rural Health

Phone: 304.352.6035

Serves as the focal point for rural health issues in West Virginia. Addresses rural healthcare needs by planning and developing policy, providing technical assistance and managing statewide coordination of rural health activities. A division of the WV Office of Community Health Systems and Health Promotion.
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West Virginia Nonmetro Population

1,792,967

Estimated population

702,730 (39.2%)

People living in nonmetro areas

Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-year estimate

West Virginia Rural Healthcare Facilities

21

Critical Access Hospitals

0

Rural Emergency Hospitals

65

Rural Health Clinics

297

Federally Qualified Health Centers*

12

Short Term/PPS Hospitals*

*Sites according to data.HRSA.gov (July 2024), showing only locations outside of U.S. Census Bureau Urban Areas with a population of 50,000 or more

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural West Virginia

5.9% of West Virginia residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2022). According to the Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for West Virginia residents in 2021 was $48,488, with the rural per capita income at $44,733. The ERS reports, based on 2021 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural West Virginia is 18.8%, compared with 15.6% in urban areas of the state. 14.3% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 10.5% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2017-2021 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural West Virginia is 4.3%, while in urban West Virginia, it is 3.7% (USDA-ERS, 2022).