Doddridge County is a county in West Virginia, United States, part of the Clarksburg micropolitan area in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 7,808 at the 2020 census and covers 320 square miles (830 km2) centred near 39°16′N 80°42′W.
West Union is the county seat, and its postal code is 26456. The county has one incorporated town and more than thirty unincorporated communities, is divided into four magisterial districts (Beech, Maple, Oak and Pine), and lies in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Doddridge County
Doddridge County has 34 named places on record. West Union is the only incorporated town; every other place below is an unincorporated community (marked Unincorp.), several no more than a crossroads store, church and post office. Population and ZIP figures are shown only where a reliable source confirms them.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Union | Town · seat | 653 | 26456 |
| Ashley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Avon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Avondale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Big Isaac | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blandville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Canton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Center Point | Unincorp. | — | 26339 |
| Central Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coldwater | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Doak | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Duckworth | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Flint | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greenwood | Unincorp. | — | 26415 |
| Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harlin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Industrial | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Joy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Leopold | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Long Run | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Market | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Middle Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Miletus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Morgansville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Milton | Unincorp. | — | 26411 |
| Nina | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oxford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Porto Rico | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roberts | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint Clara | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sedalia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sherwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Smithburg | Unincorp. | — | 26437 |
| Sugar Camp | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Summers | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Zinnia | Unincorp. | — | — |
West Virginia has no civil townships; the four magisterial districts (Beech, Maple, Oak, Pine) are electoral and taxation divisions rather than settlement groupings, so no township column is shown above.
ZIP Codes
- 26456 — West Union (also serves Ashley, Avon, Doak and most of central Doddridge County)
- 26339 — Center Point
- 26411 — New Milton
- 26415 — Greenwood
- 26437 — Smithburg
The remaining unincorporated communities share a rural-route address under one of the ZIP codes above rather than carrying their own postal code.
Geography
Doddridge County sits on the dissected Allegheny Plateau, a landscape of steep hollows and narrow ridges drained by the West Fork River and Middle Island Creek. The county has 320 square miles of land and about 0.8 square miles of water. It borders Wetzel County to the north, Harrison County to the east, Lewis County to the southeast, Gilmer County to the south, Ritchie County to the west, and Tyler County to the northwest. (The bare “Gilmer County” and “Tyler County” pages on this site cover the Georgia and Texas counties of the same name, not these West Virginia neighbors.)
Demographics
Doddridge County had 7,808 residents at the 2020 census. West Union, the seat, is the largest community; Center Point and New Milton are the county’s next-largest named places. The county’s median household income runs below the West Virginia median of $55,948, reflecting its rural, resource-based economy. With 320 square miles of land, the county has a population density of about 24 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Farming, timbering, and oil and gas extraction anchor the local economy, alongside jobs in county government and public education. Doddridge County sits over part of the Marcellus and Utica shale plays, and natural-gas drilling and pipeline work have been a significant source of local income and county tax revenue since the 2010s. West Union hosts the county’s schools, courthouse, and most retail and government services.
History
Doddridge County was created in 1845 from parts of Harrison, Lewis, Tyler and Ritchie counties, while what is now West Virginia was still part of Virginia. It is named for Philip Doddridge (1773–1832), a western Virginia lawyer, congressman and statesman known for advocating greater political representation for the state’s western counties. West Union was chosen as county seat at the county’s founding and has held that role ever since.
Getting There
U.S. Route 50 crosses the county east–west through West Union, connecting to Interstate 79 at Clarksburg; West Virginia Routes 18 and 23 run north–south through the county.
- Clarksburg, WV — 20 miles east
- Parkersburg, WV — 35 miles southwest
- Morgantown, WV — 45 miles northeast
- Charleston, WV — 90 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) near Bridgeport, about 25 miles east of West Union.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Doddridge County, West Virginia?
It is in north-central West Virginia, part of the Clarksburg micropolitan area, along U.S. Route 50 between Clarksburg and Parkersburg.
What is the population of Doddridge County?
7,808 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Doddridge County?
320 square miles (830 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the county seat of Doddridge County?
West Union, population 653 at the 2020 census.
How many towns are in Doddridge County?
One incorporated town, West Union, plus about 33 unincorporated communities across its four magisterial districts.
What ZIP codes are in Doddridge County?
26456 (West Union), 26339 (Center Point), 26411 (New Milton), 26415 (Greenwood) and 26437 (Smithburg).
What drives the local economy in Doddridge County?
Farming, timbering, oil and gas — including Marcellus and Utica shale drilling — and county government and school-system employment.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in West Virginia.