Ritchie County is a county in West Virginia, United States, in the north-central part of the state along the Little Kanawha and Hughes River valleys. It had a population of 8,444 at the 2020 census and covers 454 square miles (1,180 km2) centred near 39°11′N 81°04′W.
Harrisville is the county seat, and its postal code is 26362. The county has one incorporated city (Pennsboro) and four incorporated towns (Auburn, Cairo, Ellenboro, Harrisville), plus Pullman and a wide scatter of unincorporated communities. Ritchie County observes Eastern time.
Towns & Villages in Ritchie County
The table below lists Ritchie County’s incorporated places and its best-known unincorporated communities. City/town status follows West Virginia municipal code; CDP marks a Census-designated place with no separate government; Unincorp. covers rural crossroads and former post-office communities with no municipal boundary. West Virginia has no civil-township layer, so no Township column applies here.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsboro | City | 1,151 | 26415 |
| Harrisville | Town · seat | 1,743 | 26362 |
| Cairo | Town | 410 | 26337 |
| Ellenboro | Town | 256 | 26346 |
| Auburn | Town | 93 | 26325 |
| Pullman | Unincorp. | — | 26421 |
| Petroleum | Unincorp. | — | 26161 |
| Smithville | Unincorp. | — | 26178 |
| Macfarlan | Unincorp. | — | 26148 |
| Berea | Unincorp. | — | 26327 |
| Beatrice | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beech Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burnt House | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cantwell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chevaux De Frise | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cisco | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cokeleys | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cornwallis | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dutchman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eva | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Finch | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Five Forks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fonzo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Girta | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glendale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Goffs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hannahdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hartley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hazelgreen | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Highland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holbrook | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lamberton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lawford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| League | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lone Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Long Run | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Low Gap | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mahone | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mellin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mountain | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nutter Farm | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oil Spring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oxbow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pew Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pike | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prunty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Racy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riverside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rusk | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rutherford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sandhill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Six Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Slab | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stanley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Toll Gate | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Washburn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White Oak | Unincorp. | — | — |
Pennsboro is the county’s largest place and sits on the historic Northwestern Turnpike/B&O rail corridor; Harrisville, the seat, is the smallest of West Virginia’s incorporated county seats by population. Cokeleys and Dutchman are rural named locales rather than platted communities, listed here as they appear on USGS topographic maps.
ZIP Codes
- 26362 — Harrisville (also serves surrounding rural Ritchie County)
- 26415 — Pennsboro
- 26337 — Cairo
- 26346 — Ellenboro
- 26325 — Auburn
- 26421 — Pullman
- 26161 — Petroleum
- 26178 — Smithville
- 26148 — Macfarlan
- 26327 — Berea
Smaller communities such as Toll Gate, Highland and Five Forks are served by the nearest post-office ZIP above rather than carrying their own code.
Geography
Ritchie County lies in the hill country of north-central West Virginia, drained by the North Fork Hughes River and Little Kanawha River. Terrain is steep and forested outside the narrow valley bottoms along US 50 and the old Baltimore & Ohio rail grade, now the North Bend Rail Trail. North Bend State Park, built around a horseshoe bend of the North Fork Hughes River, is the county’s main recreation draw.
Ritchie County borders Wood County to the northwest, Pleasants County to the north, Tyler County to the northeast, Doddridge County to the east, Gilmer County to the southeast, Calhoun County to the south, and Wirt County to the southwest.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 8,444 residents. Pennsboro (1,151) and Harrisville (1,743) are the two largest places. Ritchie County’s median household income runs well below the West Virginia median of $55,948, reflecting the county’s rural, resource-dependent economy. Population density is about 19 people per square mile, among the more sparsely settled counties in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Oil and natural gas production has shaped Ritchie County’s economy since the 19th century — Petroleum’s name is no accident, and the county sits within the historic Volcano oil field. Farming, timber, and small manufacturing round out the base, alongside county-government and school-system employment centred on Harrisville. The North Bend Rail Trail draws cyclists and hikers to Cairo and Ellenboro along the old B&O grade.
History
The Virginia General Assembly created Ritchie County in 1843, carving it from Lewis, Wood, and Harrison counties, and named it for Richmond newspaper publisher and politician Thomas Ritchie. The county became part of the newly formed West Virginia on June 20, 1863, during the Civil War. Late-19th-century oil and gas discoveries around Petroleum and Volcano briefly made the county a boomtown district before production moved on to larger fields elsewhere in the state.
Getting There
US Route 50 crosses the county east–west, linking Pennsboro and Ellenboro toward Parkersburg; WV Route 16 runs north–south through Harrisville and Cairo.
- Parkersburg — 20 miles west
- Clarksburg — 35 miles east
- Charleston — 75 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport, near Parkersburg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ritchie County?
It is in north-central West Virginia, between Parkersburg and Clarksburg, along US Route 50.
What is the population of Ritchie County?
8,444 as of the 2020 census.
How big is Ritchie County?
454 square miles (1,180 km2), of which 452 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Ritchie County?
Harrisville, the smallest county seat in West Virginia by population.
How many towns are in Ritchie County?
One city (Pennsboro) and four incorporated towns (Auburn, Cairo, Ellenboro, Harrisville), plus dozens of smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Ritchie County?
Ten ZIP codes, including 26362 (Harrisville), 26415 (Pennsboro), 26337 (Cairo) and 26346 (Ellenboro).
Why is Petroleum, West Virginia named that?
It grew up around the county’s 19th-century oil boom, part of the historic Volcano oil field.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in West Virginia.