By AP
West Virginia Leads Nation in Population Loss Percentage
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) After her company told employees in 2017 to start working remotely, customer service representative Haley Miller decided to break from her lifelong home of West Virginia.
The beaches of St. Petersburg, Florida, provide a far different view than the mountains of her native state. There are palm trees, a vivacious arts and restaurant scene and fewer potholes.
“There are tons of things to do,”said Miller, now 29, who still works for the retail company.
“It’s a very welcoming and inclusive town.”
She is not alone. According to newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau, West Virginia lost a higher percentage of its residents than any other state in the nation. From 2010 to 2020, the population dropped 3.2%, or about 59,000 people. Because of that, West Virginia was one of only seven states to lose a congressional seat following the 2020 census.