DespardWV
A town of 972, settled in 1894.
Is Despard a good place to live?
26% of residents live below the poverty line in Despard, against 16% in West Virginia’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 2 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a lower median age than Despard. Despard’s density of trails is 1.5 miles per square mile, against 0.4 in West Virginia’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Despard has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Despard stand out
Where Despard beats most towns.
Despard has shrunk 21% from 2010 to 2020
1,004 counted in 2010 and 794 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Moving to Despard: who provides what
Despard is unincorporated, so Harrison County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Despard.
With 2.2 jobs for every working resident, Despard draws in 709 commuters
Commuting out is the norm in Despard: 3% of working residents work locally. Since 2013, Despard has added 393 jobs, to 720 in 2023. In Despard, the typical journey to work is 17 minutes. The top destinations are Clarksburg (24%), Bridgeport (20%) and Fairmont (5%).
| Despard | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.4% | 14% | 8% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Despard
The seasons in Despard: chilly winters, warm summers. Summer afternoons peak near 84° in July, and January nights bottom out around 22°; snowfall runs to about 24 inches a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Despard is
Among adults in Despard, 13% binge drink. Two figures for adults in the town: 19% report frequent physical distress, 23% report frequent mental distress.
| Despard | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 21% | 17% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 24% | 19% |
| What stands out | Despard | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 14.6% | 11% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 21.2% | 16.2% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 11.3% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
High risk in Despard, with inland flooding at the top
FEMA puts 87% of Despard’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 60% of U.S. communities. Flood insurance has paid out on 24 claims locally since 1978.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Despard
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Despard
About 7 of every 100 Despard residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
972 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
About Despard
CDP in West Virginia, United States
Despard is a census-designated place (CDP) in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 794 at the 2020 census (down from 1,004 at the 2010 census). Despard was home to the largest manufacturing enterprise in north central West Virginia in the early 1900s, the Jackson Sheet and Tin Plate Company, after 1905 known as the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company, or simply the "Tin Plate Mill."
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,043 ft
Questions about Despard
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Despard, WV a good place to live?
Despard has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.