Gilmer County is a county in West Virginia, United States, in the north-central part of the state along the Little Kanawha River. It had a population of 7,408 at the 2020 census and covers 340 square miles (880 km2), centred near 38°55′N 80°51′W.
Glenville is the county seat, and its postal code is 26351. The county has two incorporated towns (Glenville and Sand Fork) plus a scatter of unincorporated communities, and sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Gilmer County
Gilmer County has 2 incorporated towns and around two dozen unincorporated communities and rural post-office settlements. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = an unincorporated community with no separate municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenville | Town · seat | — | 26351 |
| Sand Fork | Town | — | 26430 |
| Alice | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baldwin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blackburn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedarville | Unincorp. | — | 26611 |
| Conings | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coxs Mills | Unincorp. | — | 26342 |
| De Kalb | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Donlan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dora | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dusk | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ellis | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hardman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Latonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Linn | Unincorp. | — | 26384 |
| Lockney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lucerne | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moss | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newberne | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Normantown | Unincorp. | — | 25267 |
| Orton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Perkins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Racket | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Revore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rosedale | Unincorp. | — | 26636 |
| Shock | Unincorp. | — | 26638 |
| Spurgeon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stouts Mills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stumptown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tanner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Troy | Unincorp. | — | 26443 |
| Withers | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 26351 — Glenville (also serves surrounding rural routes)
- 26430 — Sand Fork
- 25267 — Normantown
- 26342 — Coxs Mills
- 26443 — Troy
- 26636 — Rosedale
- 26384 — Linn
- 26638 — Shock
- 26611 — Cedarville
Most of the smaller communities in the table above have no post office of their own and are served by the nearest listed ZIP code.
Geography
Gilmer County sits in the hill country of north-central West Virginia, drained by the Little Kanawha River, which runs through Glenville on its way toward the Ohio River. Terrain is steep and heavily wooded, typical of the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, with narrow valley bottoms holding most of the settlement. Cedar Creek State Park, in the county’s southeast, is the main public recreation area. Of the county’s 340 square miles, 339 are land and about 1.6 are water.
Gilmer County borders Ritchie County to the northwest, Doddridge County to the north, Lewis County to the east, Braxton County to the south, and Calhoun County to the west.
Demographics
The county’s population was 7,408 at the 2020 census, making it West Virginia’s fifth-least populous county. Glenville, home to Glenville State University, is by far the largest community; Sand Fork is a distant second. Median household income runs well below the West Virginia median of $55,948, reflecting the county’s rural, low-population-density economy — roughly 22 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
The Federal Correctional Institution, Gilmer, just outside Glenville, is the county’s largest single employer. Glenville State University, a public four-year institution founded in 1872, anchors the county seat’s economy and gives the town a college-town character out of proportion to its size. Timber, small farms, and natural-gas activity round out the rural economy. The West Virginia State Folk Festival, held in Glenville every June, is the county’s best-known annual event, drawing traditional musicians and craftspeople from across the region.
History
Gilmer County was formed on February 3, 1845, from parts of Lewis and Kanawha Counties. It was named for Thomas Walker Gilmer, who served as Governor of Virginia from 1840 to 1841, later represented Virginia in Congress, and died in 1844 while serving as Secretary of the Navy under President John Tyler, killed in the explosion of a gun aboard the USS Princeton. Glenville was established as the county seat and grew around river trade on the Little Kanawha before the arrival of the railroad and, later, the state normal school that became Glenville State University.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 33 and 119 are the county’s main highways, meeting at Glenville; Interstate 79 passes just east of the county line but has no exit inside Gilmer County.
- Weston — 20 miles east
- Sutton — 25 miles southeast
- Spencer — 25 miles west
- Clarksburg — 35 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) near Clarksburg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Gilmer County, West Virginia?
It is in the north-central part of the state, along the Little Kanawha River, bordered by Ritchie, Doddridge, Lewis, Braxton and Calhoun Counties.
What is the population of Gilmer County?
7,408 people, per the 2020 census — West Virginia’s fifth-least populous county.
How big is Gilmer County?
340 square miles (880 km2), of which about 1.6 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Gilmer County?
Glenville, also home to Glenville State University.
How many towns are in Gilmer County?
Two incorporated towns, Glenville and Sand Fork, plus roughly two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Gilmer County?
Nine, led by 26351 (Glenville) and 26430 (Sand Fork); see the ZIP Codes section above for the full list.
What is Gilmer County known for?
Glenville State University and the annual West Virginia State Folk Festival held there every June.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in West Virginia.