Monroe County is a county in West Virginia, United States, on the state’s southeastern border with Virginia. It had a population of 12,376 at the 2020 census and covers 474 square miles (1,230 km2) centred near 37°33′N 80°27′W.
Union is the county seat, and its postal code is 24983. The county has three incorporated towns, one shared with a neighboring county, alongside more than 30 unincorporated communities. Monroe County sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Monroe County
Monroe County has three incorporated towns and roughly three dozen unincorporated communities and crossroads settlements. Alderson straddles the Monroe–Greenbrier county line, with its historic downtown on the Monroe side. Everything else below is unincorporated (marked “Unincorp.”) — most are farming crossroads, former post office stops, or mill hamlets rather than platted towns.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union | Town · seat | 419 | 24983 |
| Peterstown | Town | 452 | 24963 |
| Alderson | Town | — | 24910 |
| Ballard | Unincorp. | — | 24918 |
| Lindside | Unincorp. | — | 24951 |
| Gap Mills | Unincorp. | — | 24941 |
| Sinks Grove | Unincorp. | — | 24976 |
| Greenville | Unincorp. | — | 24945 |
| Waiteville | Unincorp. | — | 24984 |
| Secondcreek | Unincorp. | — | 24974 |
| Wayside | Unincorp. | — | 24985 |
| Wolfcreek | Unincorp. | — | 24993 |
| Assurance | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ballengee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bozoo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cashmere | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Centennial | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cloverdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Creamery | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crimson Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dorr | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elmhurst | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glace | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hillsdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hollywood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Johnson Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Keenan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Knobs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Laurel Branch | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lillydale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McGlone | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monitor | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nickells Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Patton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pedro | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pickaway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Raines Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rock Camp | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roxalia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Salt Sulphur Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sarton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sweet Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wikel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willow Bend | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Zenith | Unincorp. | — | — |
Alderson is chartered on the Greenbrier County side of the Greenbrier River, with the Monroe County portion covering the town’s southern reach across the river — the two counties share the same downtown. Sweet Springs and Salt Sulphur Springs both take their names from 19th-century mineral-spring resorts, distinct places about 15 miles apart despite the similar naming.
ZIP Codes
- 24983 — Union (also serves the surrounding county-seat area)
- 24963 — Peterstown (also serves Rock Camp and Willow Bend)
- 24910 — Alderson (shared with Greenbrier County)
- 24918 — Ballard
- 24951 — Lindside
- 24941 — Gap Mills
- 24976 — Sinks Grove
- 24945 — Greenville
- 24984 — Waiteville
- 24974 — Secondcreek
- 24985 — Wayside
- 24993 — Wolfcreek
Smaller crossroads such as Bozoo, Cloverdale, Dorr, and Sweet Springs do not have their own post office and are served by the ZIP code of the nearest listed community.
Geography
Monroe County lies in West Virginia’s Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, a landscape of parallel forested ridges separated by farmed limestone valleys. Peters Mountain forms the county’s southeastern boundary with Virginia, and Second Creek and Indian Creek drain the interior valleys toward the Greenbrier River, which forms part of the county’s northern edge. Of the county’s 474 square miles, 473 are land and about 1 square mile is water.
Monroe County borders Greenbrier County to the north, Summers County to the west, and, across the state line, Craig County, Virginia, to the east and Giles County, Virginia, to the south. Alleghany County, Virginia, touches the county’s northeastern corner but has no dedicated county page on this site.
Demographics
Monroe County had 12,376 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 26 people per square mile. Peterstown and Union are the largest incorporated communities, though most residents live in unincorporated areas along the valley roads. Median household income in the county runs below the West Virginia median of $55,948, consistent with the county’s rural, agriculture-and-forestry economic base.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — cattle, hay, and orchard farming in the limestone valleys — and forestry remain central to the county’s economy, alongside small manufacturing and public-sector employment in Union. The county’s mineral springs, including Sweet Springs and Salt Sulphur Springs, drew resort visitors through the 19th century and remain a point of local heritage. The annual Monroe County Farmers’ Day, held in Union each September, is billed locally as the oldest county fair-style celebration of its kind still running in the state.
History
Monroe County was formed January 14, 1799, from part of Greenbrier County, and named for James Monroe, then a Virginia statesman who would be elected the fifth U.S. president in 1816. It remained part of Virginia until West Virginia’s formation during the Civil War. Andrew Summers Rowan, the Army officer whose 1898 mission to Cuban insurgent leader Calixto Garcia inspired Elbert Hubbard’s essay “A Message to Garcia,” was born in Monroe County. In 1928, Grover C. Jones and William “Punch” Jones discovered the 34.48-carat Jones Diamond on a farm in the county — still the largest alluvial diamond ever found in North America.
Getting There
U.S. Route 219 runs north–south through the county past Union, and U.S. Route 460 crosses the southern end through Peterstown toward Virginia.
- Lewisburg, WV — about 20 miles north
- Blacksburg, VA — about 35 miles southeast
- Beckley, WV — about 45 miles west
- Roanoke, VA — about 55 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Greenbrier Valley Airport in Lewisburg; Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport offers a wider range of connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Monroe County, West Virginia?
It is in southeastern West Virginia, on the Virginia state line, between Greenbrier and Summers counties to the west and Craig and Giles counties, Virginia, to the east.
What is the population of Monroe County?
12,376 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Monroe County?
474 square miles (1,230 km2), of which about 1 square mile is water.
What is the county seat of Monroe County?
Union is the county seat.
How many towns are in Monroe County?
Three incorporated towns — Union, Peterstown, and Alderson (shared with Greenbrier County) — plus roughly three dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Monroe County?
Twelve, including 24983 (Union), 24963 (Peterstown), and 24910 (Alderson).
What is Monroe County known for?
The 1928 discovery of the Jones Diamond, its historic mineral-spring resorts, and being the birthplace of Andrew Summers Rowan.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in West Virginia.