HicoWV
A town of 16, settled in 1895.
Is Hico a good place to live?
No town among the 62 in West Virginia we compare has a higher share of households owning their home than Hico. Hico has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
16 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and 8 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hico. Close and well known come first.
4 mi National PreserveNew River Gorge National Park and Preserve2.0M visitors a year
15 mi Park & preserveThe Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve
12 mi MuseumThurmond
4 mi National Recreation AreaGauley River National Recreation Area214K visitors a year
36 mi MuseumLost World Caverns36 mi MuseumWest Virginia State MuseumPhoto credits
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve: NKS22, Public domain · The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve: Lisa Strader, CC BY 2.0 · Thurmond: Brian M. Powell (user Bitmapped on en.wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gauley River National Recreation Area: Wwkayaker22 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Lost World Caverns: Lee Paxton, CC BY-SA 4.0
Moving to Hico: who provides what
Hico is unincorporated, so Fayette 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 Hico.
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Hico
Hico has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. At 81°F, Hico’s July high is against 86°F in West Virginia’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The schools Hico’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Fayette County Schools. Its one school is below. The largest public high school is Midland Trail High, with 618 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland Trail HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 618 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
A job hub: Hico has 1.3 jobs for every working resident and draws in 100 commuters
Most working residents leave Hico for work: only 1% work in town. Jobs based in Hico fell to 101 in 2023, 79 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Fayetteville (9%), Beckley (8%) and Ansted (4%).
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
How healthy Hico is
Hico beats the West Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 46% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Hico, above both West Virginia’s towns (40%) and U.S. towns (36%). 22% of Hico adults smoke cigarettes.
| Hico | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 40% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 12% |
| What stands out | Hico | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults screened for colon cancer | 55.8% | 66.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Hico
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 59% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Hico
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hico; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Hico residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
About Hico
Census-designated place in West Virginia, United States
Hico is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. Hico is located at the junction of U.S. routes 19 and 60, 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Fayetteville. Hico has a post office with ZIP code 25854. As of the 2020 census, its population was 239 (down from 272 at the 2010 census). Some believe that the community was named after a variety of tobacco called hico, while others believe the name is a transfer from Hyco, Virginia (an extinct town). On April 2, 2024, an EF2 tornado caused significant damage just to the south of Hico.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,142 ft
- ZIP code
- 25854
Questions about Hico
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hico, WV a good place to live?
Hico has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.