Despite the Eastern Panhandle's boom, population declines in West Virginia's southern coal-producing counties led to an overall drop in the state's population last year.
The Census figures show 47 of the state's 55 counties lost population from 2015 to 2016, including 20 counties that lost more than 200 residents.
Nine of the 10 counties that lost the most population were in southern West Virginia, which has seen a downturn in the coal industry in recent years.
Putnam County is the only southern county to gain population with an increase of 142 residents. Cabell County reversed several years of gains with a population loss of 666 residents.
Monongalia County, home of West Virginia University, gained 631 residents.
Overall, West Virginia's population fell by 9,951 to 1.83 million. The only state to lose more residents was Illinois.
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Will coal ever come back?
Ryan Morales
bump
Jordan Ortiz
Oxy's are no joke
t. florida
Parker Carter
>Wanting people to want to work in the coal mines
Kevin Turner
gib visa and i will move there
Jacob Thompson
Would be willing to get gay married?
Adrian Davis
no
Eli Young
We're in a pretty bad spot as a state. It's booming here in Morgantown (Monongalia County) but other than that there isnt much going on in the state.
Coal will fizzle out for a little bit longer but it's not a sustainable rebound and everyone knows it.
But here's the thing, who gives a fuck if people leave? We don't like people here and we wish there were less. Who fucking cares if there isn't a booming industry and the economy has to balance out. People have been cutting out a living for themselves here for hundreds of years. What's so wrong with having a small community of people living in the mountains with some livestock and crops?
Oliver Watson
West Virginia looks a lot like my place. Hills everywhere. Is it really "Deliverance" tier?
William Ward
No man not at all. Maybe really far down south by the Kentucky border you may find some deliverance-type banjo rednecks but the whole thing is a big myth
Matthew Scott
I was born and raised in Pike Ky. Pike county borders southern WV. For those that don't know southern WV and east Ky are the same.
Anyway, while lits of people can play banjos, you aren't very likely to get raped by 2 hillbilly homosexuals. Our homos stay pretty quiet.
Dylan Ortiz
I live on the edge of West Virginia, here is how it feels. >Buy 20 acers of land for rather cheap. >You have no crime. >Nothing but nature. >Drill your own spring. >Grow your own crops. >People are nice to you.
Trade off. >Little to no jobs. >Constantly spit on by people not of the area "Californians for example." >Internet is awful.
But >Wake up every morning to the sun and birds, deer in my yard, everything is right with the world. My only wish is I had a stream so I could fish or just admire them.
Do you even know what its like, to live in a place where you can leave your front door open and leave, and come home and nobody even robbed you?
>Hey user, you left your door open, so I shut it for ya. What you doin up this way? >Oh I was tryin ta find my hounds, he ate some of your dog food so here is a couple bucks for the hassle.
Grayson Wright
Noob, I have a stream. Who /stream/ master race here?
Caleb Rivera
All a man really needs
Mason Cruz
Man I could never get the city folks. What quality of life do you have if you don't have a garden, a forest in the backyard and friends to smoke one with to the sounds of nature.
Pic definitely related
Eli Lee
I lived in a city for a short while due to some things, I couldnt really handle it that I stepped outside onto concrete, and there was nothing but buildings. It felt depressing to see a lone tree surrounded by concrete on a sidewalk.
Jordan Butler
Well weed tends to be more legal in big cities.
Matthew Wood
That grass has to be cut, that house also has to be maintained. You ain't gonna do all that when you're 80.
Man needs more than what's in that picture.
Ryder Bailey
>Can West Virginia be saved from drugs and depopulation
Yes, it needs more immigration.
Samuel Evans
you gotta be really fucking stupid to get caught smoking weed on your own property out in the sticks man
Logan Moore
I meant buying it is more of a hassle. I can literally walk down the street here and buy it in a medical store.
Ryan Gutierrez
Indeed
Brody Edwards
We should vote for even more tax cuts on the wealthy. That will help.
Cooper Reed
>Buy. ya, nothing safer then buying some assholes shit grown weed with bacteria infested water he collected on a rooftop full of pigeon shit and parasites.
>Libs brag about MUH HOME GROWN NO GMO ITS SAFER shit >Wont even buy a fucking potter and grow a single tomatoes.
Grayson Carter
Bullshit. Plenty of people do just that. And about the time they can no longer do simple tasks like maintaining a home and lawn they die with no regrets
