Hancock County is a county in West Virginia, United States, occupying the tip of the state’s Northern Panhandle between the Ohio River and the Pennsylvania line. It had a population of 29,095 at the 2020 census and covers 88 square miles (230 km2), of which 83 square miles (210 km2) are land, centred near 40°31′N 80°35′W.
New Cumberland is the county seat, and its postal code is 26047. The county holds two incorporated cities (New Cumberland, Chester), one census-designated place (Newell), part of a third city that straddles the county line (Weirton), and more than a dozen unincorporated communities. Hancock County is the smallest county in West Virginia by land area and runs on Eastern time.
Towns & Villages in Hancock County
Hancock County has three incorporated municipalities, one census-designated place, and a cluster of small unincorporated communities, most of them historic neighborhoods absorbed into greater Weirton. In the table below, “City · seat” marks the county seat, “CDP” is a census-designated place with no municipal government, and “Unincorp.” covers places with no incorporated status and no separate population count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Cumberland | City · seat | — | 26047 |
| Weirton | City | 19,163 | 26062 |
| Chester | City | — | 26034 |
| Newell | CDP | — | 26050 |
| New Manchester | Unincorp. | — | 26056 |
| Chelsea | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chestnut Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Congo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairhaven | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holliday’s Cove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kings Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lawrenceville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lennyville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marland Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moscow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sun Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vermont Terrace | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Weircrest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Weirton Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Zalia | Unincorp. | — | — |
Weirton is the county’s largest city by far, but most of it sits in Hancock County while a small southern section belongs to Brooke County; the population figure above is for the whole city. Chelsea, Marland Heights, Weircrest, and Weirton Heights are historic neighborhoods that now function as districts within Weirton rather than separate places.
ZIP Codes
- 26034 — Chester
- 26047 — New Cumberland
- 26050 — Newell
- 26056 — New Manchester
- 26062 — Weirton (also serves the county’s small unincorporated communities around the city)
Five ZIP codes cover the entire county; smaller unincorporated places such as Congo, Moscow, and Kings Creek use the nearest of these five rather than a code of their own.
Geography
Hancock County occupies the narrowest stretch of West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle, a strip of hill country wedged between the Ohio River to the west and the Pennsylvania state line to the east. The Ohio River forms the county’s entire western boundary, and the terrain rises quickly from the river valley into wooded ridges that hold most of the county’s small unincorporated communities. At 88 square miles it is the smallest county in West Virginia by area.
Hancock County borders Brooke County to the south, Jefferson County, Ohio across the river to the west, Columbiana County, Ohio to the north, and Beaver County, Pennsylvania to the east.
Demographics
Hancock County had 29,095 residents at the 2020 census, spread across 83 square miles of land for a density of roughly 350 people per square mile — dense by West Virginia standards, reflecting the county’s compact size and its industrial Ohio River corridor. Weirton is the largest community, followed by Chester. Countywide income figures were not verified for this profile; West Virginia’s statewide median household income is $55,948.
Economy & Local Life
Hancock County’s economy grew up around steelmaking on the Ohio River. Weirton Steel, founded by Ernest T. Weir in 1909, was for decades one of the largest employers in the Northern Panhandle; its successor tinplate operation, now run as Cleveland-Cliffs Weirton, still anchors the local economy. New Cumberland and Chester, at the county’s southern end, sit next to the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort, a major regional gaming, hotel, and entertainment destination and one of the county’s largest employers outside manufacturing.
History
Hancock County was formed on January 15, 1848, from Brooke County, and named for John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence. The Ohio River corridor drew heavy industry through the late 19th and 20th centuries, and Weirton grew from a company town around Ernest T. Weir’s tinplate mill into the county’s dominant city. New Cumberland, the older river town, remained the seat of county government even as Weirton outgrew it in population.
Getting There
US Route 22 and US Route 30 cross the county, along with West Virginia Routes 2, 8, and 105 running the length of the Northern Panhandle.
- Steubenville, Ohio — 5 miles west
- East Liverpool, Ohio — 8 miles north
- Wheeling, WV — 30 miles south
- Pittsburgh, PA — 35 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Pittsburgh International Airport, roughly 40 miles east.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hancock County, West Virginia?
It occupies the tip of West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle, along the Ohio River between Ohio and Pennsylvania.
What is the population of Hancock County?
29,095 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Hancock County?
88 square miles (230 km2), the smallest county in West Virginia by area.
What is the county seat of Hancock County?
New Cumberland, though Weirton is the county’s largest city.
How many towns are in Hancock County?
Three incorporated cities — New Cumberland, Chester, and part of Weirton — plus the CDP of Newell and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Hancock County?
26034 (Chester), 26047 (New Cumberland), 26050 (Newell), 26056 (New Manchester), and 26062 (Weirton).
Why is Hancock County called the “southernmost” part of the north and northernmost part of the south?
Its position at the very tip of the Northern Panhandle puts it farther north than parts of several neighboring states, a quirk locals point to often.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in West Virginia.