Pax, West Virginia, 2014
Pax’s story
112 years in pictures
Census counts: 608 in 1930, 136 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 7 maps from 1914 on.
- 1914Pax is settled
PaxWV
A town of 117, settled in 1914.
Population
117
2025 Census estimate · −6.4% since 2020
Median home value
$43K
Census ACS
Household income
$29K
median
Median age
49.2
years
Land area
0 sq mi
Is Pax a good place to live?
33% of residents live below the poverty line in Pax, above both West Virginia’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Pax. Pax has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
117 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
All 12 attractions →New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pax. Close and well known come first.
6 mi National PreserveNew River Gorge National Park and Preserve2.0M visitors a year
9 mi Park & preserveThe Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve
11 mi MuseumThurmond
39 mi Ancient siteCriel Mound
10 mi MuseumPhillips-Sprague Mine35 mi MuseumWest Virginia State MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo 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 · Criel Mound: David G. Simpson, Public domain · Phillips-Sprague Mine: Coal town guy, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Pax: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pax, and how to reach them.
PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPax Water Company7 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers77% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Pax’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn West Virginia you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereFayette Clerk of the County CommissionFayette County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code2590425904 100%Census 2020
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 Pax.
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Pax
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 95% of U.S. communities. Since 1990, 20 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pax.
95risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
20
paid flood claims since 1990
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Pax has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Pax has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Pax’s July high is 82°F, below both the West Virginia town median (86°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
56″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–44°
Spring41–65°
Summer60–81°
Fall43–66°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Pax is
Pax beats the West Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 49% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Pax. Only 2 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a lower share of adults who had a checkup this year than Pax.
| Pax | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 40% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 21% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 14% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
0 better30 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Pax | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults sleeping under 7 hours | 48.6% | 40.7% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 45.3% | 55.5% |
Camc Plateau Medical Center
8.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pax
16pages on Pax
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Pax
Appalachian Bible CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Mount Hope5.4 mi$18,760 tuitionWest Virginia University Institute of TechnologyUniversity or college · Public · Beckley10.3 mi$8,424 in-state tuitionNew River Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Beaver12.1 mi$5,156 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Pax residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
About Pax
Town in West Virginia, United States
Pax is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. The current mayor of Pax is William Hughes. The population was 136 at the 2020 census. The community most likely derives its name from nearby Packs Branch creek.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,644 ft
- ZIP code
- 25904
- Area code
- 304
Questions about Pax
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pax, WV a good place to live?
Pax has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.