Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 370, settled in 1893.
41% of residents live below the poverty line in Matewan, where West Virginia’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. No town among the 62 in West Virginia we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Matewan. Matewan Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Matewan has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 588 in 1910, a peak of 989 in 1950, 412 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1999 and 3 maps from 1917 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Matewan, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Matewan.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 95% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 117 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Matewan.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Mingo County Schools. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matewan Pk8Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 384 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Matewan’s median household income is $16,000, below both the West Virginia town median ($59,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Matewan’s average trip to work is 19 minutes. Since 2013, Matewan has lost 129 jobs, to 53 in 2023.
| Matewan | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $16,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Matewan has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 3 have a higher July high than Matewan.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
40% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Matewan. Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Matewan. 25% of adults report frequent mental distress in Matewan.
| Matewan | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 24% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 18% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 16% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 21% | 17% |
| What stands out | Matewan | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.1% | 14.1% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.7% | 79.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 29.5% | 16.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Matewan; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Matewan residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Where Matewan’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 notable people were born in Matewan.
Town in West Virginia, United States
Matewan () is a town in Mingo County, West Virginia, United States at the confluence of the Tug Fork River and Mate Creek. The population was 412 at the 2020 census, down from 499 in 2010. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Pocahontas District passes through the town. It was a key site of the Coal Wars and the location of the Battle of Matewan in 1920.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Matewan has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
3 notable people were born here, including John Hendricks and Gayleatha B. Brown.
