West Virginia had an estimated 1,766,147 residents in July 2025, down 1.5% from the 2020 base. A shrinking local market makes outside demand more important: online stores, wholesale accounts and B2B buyers in other states. It also makes keeping existing customers, through social media and an easy reorder process, worth more than it would be in a fast growing state.
The 2023 count found 35,839 employer establishments, and 85.2% of those establishments had fewer than 20 employees. There were 5,696 retail trade establishments, more than twice the 2,694 professional, scientific and technical services establishments, so retail makes up a large share of local competition. The SBA counts 118,045 small businesses that account for 47.4% of employment. For many owners, the useful first step is an accurate business profile and a site that works well on a phone.