Jefferson County, located in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, is the wealthiest county in the state with a per capita income of $29,733 as of 2024.
This makes Jefferson County one of the highest-earning counties not just in West Virginia, but in the entire United States.
The second-richest county in West Virginia is Putnam County, where the average resident earns $25,857 per year.
Despite having some of the wealthiest counties, West Virginia as a whole is considered the third-poorest state in the U.S.
with a per capita income of only $23,450.
The poorest county in West Virginia is McDowell County, which has the lowest median household income in the state.
Interestingly, the list of lowest-earning counties in West Virginia also includes Jefferson, Berkeley, and Putnam counties - the three wealthiest counties overall.
This highlights the extreme income inequality within West Virginia, with pockets of immense wealth existing alongside widespread poverty.
Experts attribute the wealth in Jefferson and Berkeley counties to their proximity to the Washington D.C.
metro area, allowing residents to commute and benefit from the higher salaries in the nation's capital region.
Agriculture, tourism, and government/military jobs are major drivers of the economy in the wealthier counties of West Virginia.
The state's reliance on industries like coal mining, which have declined in recent decades, has contributed to the overall economic struggles in much of West Virginia.
Efforts to diversify the state's economy and attract new industries have had limited success, making the wealth disparity between counties an ongoing challenge.
Interestingly, the wealthiest person in West Virginia according to Forbes is Jacqueline Mars, granddaughter of the Mars candy company founder, who resides in Virginia.