The Jail System
West Virginia has 10 jails in 55 counties. The jail population in 2020 was 5,110.
The Prison System
As of December 31, 2020, the number of prisoners under the jurisdiction of West Virginia correctional authorities was 6,044 located in 12 state prisons and held in custody of private prisons or local jails. State operated facilities had a staff of 4,100 employees and a budget of $216,888,166.
The Community Corrections System
As of December 31, 2020, West Virginia community corrections population was 6,243 under probation and 1,683 under parole.
Methodology
The National Institute of Corrections depends on publicly available information to provide the information on this page.
The statistics for budgets, employee positions, and state prison facilities data come from state departments of corrections, other state reports and state agencies. If data is missing for a state, then we were unable to find that information.
The data on prison population and incarcerate rate come from the Prisoners in 2020 report released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The report includes the count of prisoners in the unified systems of Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Violent and property crime rates are provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
The number of counties per state comes from the United States Census Bureau.
FAQs
Elected President
Trump easily carried West Virginia on Election Day by 38.9 points, down from 42.1 points in 2016. Prior to the election, all 16 news organizations declared West Virginia a safe, or likely, red state. This was the first time ever that an incumbent Republican carried the state while losing re–election.
Is West Virginia a blue or red state? ›
West Virginia is now a heavily Republican state, with John McCain winning the state in 2008, Mitt Romney in 2012 and Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020.
Who won governor of West Virginia in 2020? ›
Elected Governor
Justice won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic Kanawha County commissioner Ben Salango. Justice's re-election made him the first Republican to be elected governor of West Virginia since Cecil Underwood in 1996.
Who won Virginia in 2020? ›
Prior to the election, most news organizations considered this a state Biden would win, or a likely blue state. On the day of the election, Biden won Virginia with 54.11% of the vote, and by a margin of 10.1%, the best performance for a Democratic presidential candidate since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944.
Is Virginia a red or a blue state? ›
Of the state's eleven seats in the House of Representatives, Democrats hold six and Republicans hold five. The state is widely considered blue-leaning, a trend that moves parallel with the growth of the Washington D.C. and Richmond suburbs but has been recognized as a swing state by some in light of the 2021 GOP wave.
Who won the 2020 election Democrats or Republicans? ›
The Democratic Party's nominee, former vice president Joe Biden, defeated incumbent Republican president Donald Trump in the presidential election. Despite losing seats in the House of Representatives, Democrats retained control of the House and gained control of the Senate.
Has West Virginia ever had a Democratic governor? ›
The current governor is Republican Jim Justice, who assumed office on January 16, 2017. West Virginia's 36th governor, Justice was elected as a Democrat, but switched to the Republican Party on August 4 of that year.
Was Joe Manchin ever governor of West Virginia? ›
Manchin was the 34th governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010 and the 27th secretary of state of West Virginia from 2001 to 2005. He became the state's senior U.S. senator when Jay Rockefeller left office in 2015 and was West Virginia's only congressional Democrat until 2024, when he registered as an independent.
Who is the governor of Virginia in 2020? ›
Governor Glenn Youngkin Announces Additional Administration and Board Appointments. Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced additional key administration and board appointments.
What were the results of the 2020 presidential election? ›
2020 United States presidential election
| Nominee | Joe Biden | Donald Trump |
| Party | Democratic | Republican |
| Home state | Delaware | Florida |
| Running mate | Kamala Harris | Mike Pence |
| Electoral vote | 306 | 232 |
4 more rowsUltimately, of the nine swing states identified by The Washington Post in the 2012 election, Obama won eight, losing only North Carolina.
What was the popular vote for president in 2020? ›
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) won the presidential election on November 3, 2020. Biden received 306 electoral votes and President Donald Trump (R) received 232 electoral votes. In the national popular vote, Biden received 81.2 million votes and Trump received 74.2 million votes.
How many Republican seats were won in 2020? ›
Per states
| State | Total seats | Republican |
|---|
| Seats |
|---|
| California | 53 | 11 |
| Colorado | 7 | 3 |
| Connecticut | 5 | 0 |
48 more rowsThe delegates to the national convention voted on the first ballot to select Donald Trump as the Republican Party's nominee for president of the United States in the 2020 election, and selected Mike Pence as the vice-presidential nominee.
Is West Virginia a good place to live? ›
West Virginia is an ideal place to live due to its stunning natural beauty and affordability. With the Appalachian Mountains and rivers, there are endless outdoor activities for locals to enjoy. The state's rich culture and history, along with cost-effective real estate, provide an attractive living environment.
Is West Virginia a good place to retire? ›
One of the most enticing aspects of retiring in West Virginia is low housing costs and low cost of living. The cost of living in West Virginia is 20.6% lower than the U.S. average. According to Zillow, the average home value is $152,373, which is significantly lower than the national average of $342,941.
