HicoWV
16 people live in this town, 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: that is Hico’s year
The peak summer temperature for Hico comes to 81°F, 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
The largest public high school is Midland Trail High, with 618 students. Public schools: the Fayette County Schools. Its one school is below.
| 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
For half of commuters, work is under 25 miles away. Jobs based in Hico fell to 101 in 2023, 79 fewer than in 2013. Commuting out is the norm in the town: 1% of working residents work locally. The top destinations are Fayetteville (9%), Beckley (8%) and Ansted (4%).
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
How healthy Hico is
Only 5 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Hico. 22% of adults smoke cigarettes in the town, above both West Virginia’s towns (18%) and U.S. towns (14%). Among adults here, 45% have high blood pressure.
| 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
Natural hazards: moderate risk in Hico, mostly inland flooding
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Hico after 6 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage in the town than in nearly three fifths of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 73% come from inland flooding and 12% from lightning.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · 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.