Hardy County is a county in West Virginia, United States, in the state’s eastern panhandle along the Virginia line. It had a population of 14,299 at the 2020 census and covers 584 square miles (1,510 km2) centred near 39°01′N 78°52′W.
Moorefield is the county seat, and its postal code is 26836. The county has two incorporated towns (Moorefield and Wardensville) and roughly 30 unincorporated communities, with no organized townships. Hardy County observes Eastern time and carries FIPS code 54031.
Towns & Villages in Hardy County
Hardy County has just two incorporated towns — Moorefield, the seat and largest town, and Wardensville near the Virginia line — alongside about 30 small unincorporated communities scattered through the South Branch and Lost River valleys. Population and ZIP figures below are given only where independently confirmed; unmarked cells use —.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moorefield | Town · seat | 2,524 | 26836 |
| Wardensville | Town | 265 | 26851 |
| Arkansas | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baker | Unincorp. | — | 26801 |
| Basore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bass | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baughman Settlement | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bean Settlement | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cunningham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Durgon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fisher | Unincorp. | — | 26818 |
| Fort Run | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Inkerman | Unincorp. | — | 26831 |
| Kessel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lost City | Unincorp. | — | 26810 |
| Mathias | Unincorp. | — | 26812 |
| McCauley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McNeill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meadow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Milam | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Needmore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Fields | Unincorp. | — | 26845 |
| Perry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peru | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rig | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rock Oak | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rockland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sycamore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tannery | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Taylor | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walnut Bottom | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 26836 — Moorefield (also serves Old Fields and outlying farms)
- 26851 — Wardensville
- 26801 — Baker
- 26810 — Lost City
- 26812 — Mathias
- 26818 — Fisher
- 26831 — Inkerman
- 26845 — Old Fields
Most of the smaller communities listed above are unaddressed hamlets that share a neighbouring post office’s ZIP code rather than having their own.
Geography
Hardy County sits in West Virginia’s eastern panhandle, split by the ridge-and-valley terrain of the Appalachians. The South Branch Potomac River runs the length of the county through Moorefield, joined by the South Fork South Branch Potomac at the town; the Trough, a narrow seven-mile gorge the river cuts through Jersey Mountain, is one of the county’s best-known landforms. The Lost River valley, in the county’s mountainous west, gives its name to several communities including Lost City. Much of the county’s land area is forested ridge, with farming concentrated in the broader river bottoms near Moorefield and Old Fields.
Hardy County borders Hampshire County to the north, Grant County to the west, and Pendleton County to the southwest, all in West Virginia; across the state line it borders Frederick County and Rockingham County in Virginia to the east and south, and Shenandoah County, Virginia, to the southeast. Live pages: Grant County, West Virginia, Pendleton County, West Virginia, Frederick County, Virginia, Rockingham County, Virginia, and Shenandoah County, Virginia. Hampshire County, West Virginia, does not yet have a page under that state suffix on this site.
Demographics
Hardy County had 14,299 residents at the 2020 census, spread across a rural county with no city larger than Moorefield’s 2,524. Wardensville, the only other incorporated town, had 265. Density works out to roughly 25 people per square mile, among the more sparsely populated counties in the eastern panhandle. Median household income in the county runs below the West Virginia median of $55,948, reflecting the area’s agricultural and light-industrial economic base rather than the commuter-belt incomes seen closer to Washington, D.C.
Economy & Local Life
Poultry processing anchors the local economy: Hardy County has long been one of West Virginia’s top poultry-producing counties, with large-scale turkey and chicken operations supplying processing plants in and around Moorefield. Agriculture more broadly — cattle, hay, and orchard fruit in the Lost River valley — remains a major employer alongside county government, the Hardy County school system, and Hardy County-based health and general-merchandise businesses serving the wider South Branch Valley. Hardy County High School and Moorefield High School serve the county’s students. The South Branch Valley’s mix of farmland and forested ridges also draws hunting, fishing, and canoeing visitors, particularly along the Trough section of the South Branch Potomac.
History
Hardy County was formed in 1786 from Hampshire County, then part of Virginia, and was named for Samuel Hardy, a prominent Virginia statesman of the era. Moorefield, chartered in 1777 as one of the older towns in the region, sits at the confluence of the South Branch Potomac and South Fork South Branch Potomac rivers. During the Civil War, Union and Confederate cavalry clashed near Moorefield in 1864, one of several engagements fought over control of the strategically important South Branch Valley. The county later became part of West Virginia when the state split from Virginia in 1863.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 48 and 220 are the county’s main highways, with 48 carrying traffic west toward Elkins and east toward Winchester, Virginia, and 220 running north-south along the South Branch Valley. West Virginia Routes 28, 29, 55, 59, and 259 connect the county’s outlying communities.
- Winchester, Virginia — about 35 miles east
- Petersburg, West Virginia — about 15 miles west
- Harrisonburg, Virginia — about 35 miles south
- Romney, West Virginia — about 25 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport near Weyers Cave, Virginia; Washington Dulles International Airport is roughly two hours east by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hardy County, West Virginia?
It is in the state’s eastern panhandle, along the South Branch Potomac River near the Virginia border.
What is the population of Hardy County?
Hardy County had a population of 14,299 at the 2020 census.
How big is Hardy County?
The county covers 584 square miles (1,510 km2), of which 582 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Hardy County?
Moorefield is the county seat.
How many towns are in Hardy County?
Hardy County has two incorporated towns, Moorefield and Wardensville, plus about 30 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Hardy County?
Moorefield uses 26836 and Wardensville uses 26851, with smaller communities such as Baker, Lost City, Mathias, Fisher, Inkerman, and Old Fields served by their own or a neighbouring post office.
What is Hardy County known for?
It is one of West Virginia’s leading poultry-producing counties and is home to the Trough, a scenic gorge on the South Branch Potomac River.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in West Virginia.