West Virginia only state losing population

During the last fiscal year, West Virginia lost another 6,000-plus people. Since 1950, West Virginia has seen an 8 percent decrease in population, the only state in America to experience a loss.

Iowa, the second worst-performing state in America (behind West Virginia), had a net INCREASE of 19 percent in population. North and South Dakota had increases of 22 and 31 percent.

In the two decades following 1950, some 800,000 babies were born in West Virginia for an average of 40,000 babies per year. But from 1970 to 1990, only 540,000 babies were born, and from 1990 through 2010 only 425,000 babies were born, an average of about 21,000 babies per year (according to the U.S. Census).

Through the year 2025, West Virginia is projected to have the largest decrease in public school enrollment (by the National Center for Education Statistics). The state’s death rate exceeds its birth rate.