Chinese Population in West Virginia by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights

The Chinese population in West Virginia totals 3,141, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Morgantown (410), followed by Huntington (284) and Star City (142), each hosting visible segments of the community. While these urban centers anchor much of the population, the statewide total points to a broader presence in unincorporated areas and smaller towns beyond major city boundaries. The analysis below explores how Chinese residents are distributed across West Virginia''s urban and rural landscape.

Top 5 cities with the largest Chinese population in West Virginia

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  • 1
    Morgantown
    Chinese population in Morgantown is 410
    1.35% of Morgantown population is Chinese
  • 2
    Huntington
    Chinese population in Huntington is 284
    0.61% of Huntington population is Chinese
  • 3
    Star City
    Chinese population in Star City is 142
    7.50% of Star City population is Chinese
  • 4
    Bridgeport
    Chinese population in Bridgeport is 137
    1.47% of Bridgeport population is Chinese
  • 5
    Charleston
    Chinese population in Charleston is 115
    0.24% of Charleston population is Chinese

Overview of Chinese population in West Virginia

  • Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey data indicate West Virginia contains 3,141 Chinese residents (0.18% of 1.8 million total state population), positioning the state at the 8th percentile nationally among U.S. states for Chinese population concentrations.
  • Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census surveys show West Virginia's Chinese demographic representation of 0.18% remains below the national average of 1.6%, positioning the state below typical U.S. demographic distribution patterns.
  • Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey data indicates West Virginia contains 3,141 Chinese residents, representing less than 1% of the nation's total Chinese population of 5.4 million, constituting a minimal fraction of the national demographic community relative to the state's overall population size.
  • Population Density per Square Mile: U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey data indicate West Virginia maintains fewer than 1 Chinese per square mile, compared to the national average of 1.5 per square mile, placing the state among jurisdictions with minimal demographic representation nationally.
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150 Cities in West Virginia Ranked by Chinese Population

View Methodology
American Community Survey data [1] show Chinese population in West Virginia present in Morgantown, Huntington, and Star City, along with several other incorporated cities reporting non-zero populations. The table below provides broader statistics, including total population figures, density measures, and demographic distributions based on current ACS data for all incorporated cities included in this analysis*.
cities in West Virginia ranked by Chinese population count
Rank by Chinese Population
City
Chinese Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total West Virginia Chinese Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Morgantown 410 1.35% 13.05%
2 Huntington 284 0.61% 9.04%
3 Star City 142 7.50% 4.52%
4 Bridgeport 137 1.47% 4.36%
5 Charleston 115 0.24% 3.66%
6 Ripley 76 2.48% 2.42%
7 Fairmont 74 0.40% 2.36%
8 71 6.22% 2.26%
9 65 3.75% 2.07%
10 64 0.22% 2.04%
11 53 1.37% 1.69%
12 50 3.55% 1.59%
13 49 0.31% 1.56%
14 42 0.25% 1.34%
15 31 0.54% 0.99%
16 28 0.26% 0.89%
17 25 0.88% 0.80%
18 23 3.01% 0.73%
19 19 0.18% 0.60%
20 16 0.34% 0.51%
20 16 0.42% 0.51%
21 15 0.37% 0.48%
22 12 0.18% 0.38%
22 12 0.41% 0.38%
23 11 0.35% 0.35%
24 10 0.07% 0.32%
25 9 0.41% 0.29%
26 8 0.61% 0.25%
26 8 0.03% 0.25%
27 5 0.03% 0.16%
28 4 0.36% 0.13%
29 3 0.22% 0.10%
29 3 0.33% 0.10%
29 3 0.02% 0.10%
30 1 0.01% 0.03%
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Methodology

This ranking list is based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS is one of the most reliable sources for understanding population trends across different locations, and it provides estimates for various racial and ethnic groups at city, county, state and all geography levels down to the Census block group.
This list ranks city in West Virginia by their Chinese population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census defines Chinese population

The U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-identify their ancestry, meaning individuals can write upto ancestries when responding to the survey. In this ranking, we include everyone who identifies as having Chinese ancestry, whether alone or in combination with another ancestry.
Here are a few important things to know about how ancestry is reported:
  • Some people identify as Chinese alone, while others identify as Chinese along with another race (such as Chinese and German).
  • We’ve used the “Chinese alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the Chinese population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as Chinese alone or in combination in city. To provide additional context, we’ve also included two key percentages:
  1. % of Total City Population – This shows what percentage of the total state population identifies as Chinese .
  2. % of Total West Virginia Chinese Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. Chinese population lives in that state.
To keep things simple, all population numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number, and percentages are rounded to one decimal place. Because of rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100%.

Things to Keep in Mind

Like all survey-based data, ACS estimates come with some limitations. Here are a few things to be aware of:
  • In places with very small Chinese populations, the numbers may not be reported at all due to privacy protections or sampling variability in the survey.
  • Since the ACS is based on a sample, the numbers are estimates, not exact counts. That means they may slightly differ from other sources like the decennial U.S. Census.
  • City that don’t have any reported Chinese population are not included in the ranking but are listed separately below for reference.
This ranking is meant to provide a clear, data-driven look at where Chinese populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

  1. 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
  2. 2023.