Sylvester-Church-of-God-wv, 2018
Sylvester’s story
85 years in pictures
Census counts: 316 in 1960, 171 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2018 and 6 maps from 1911 on.
- 1941Sylvester is settled
SylvesterWV
A town of 149, settled in 1941.
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
149
2025 Census estimate · −8.6% since 2020
Typical home
$57K
−9.3% in a year
Median age
56.4
years
Land area
0 sq mi
Is Sylvester a good place to live?
Sylvester’s average trip to work is 39 minutes, above both West Virginia’s towns (21 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a higher median age than Sylvester. Sylvester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
149 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sylvester: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sylvester, and how to reach them.
PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWest Virginia American WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers90% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sylvester’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 hereBoone Clerk of the County CommissionBoone County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2023
ZIP code2519325193 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 Sylvester.
Housing
Sylvester stands out in West Virginia and nationally: a larger share of its households own their home
94% of households own their home in Sylvester, above both the West Virginia town median (68%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%). Typical home values fell 9.3% in the year to September 2026.
$57KZillow home value
Typical home value
Sylvester$57K
West Virginia$177K
−9.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Sylvester is higher than in the typical West Virginia or U.S. town
Sylvester’s FEMA risk score is 99 of 100. Since 1978, 15 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Sylvester.
99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
15
paid flood claims since 1978
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
Older than West Virginia overall
People 65 and older are 37% of residents (21% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 9% of residents (21% statewide). Sylvester has lost 8.6% of its people since 2020, down to 149 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 22% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Sylvester.
56.4median age · WV 42.7
SylvesterWest VirginiaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
21%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma12%
High school60%
Some college0%
Associate’s6%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate4%
Women and men · all residents
56% women, 44% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.9 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Sylvester | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.2% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.9% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 2.3% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.7% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.3% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 20.6% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 12.3% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 60.4% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 0% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 5.7% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.9% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 3.8% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 100, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Sylvester
Sylvester has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 25° and about 17 inches of snow falls in a winter.
17″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–45°
Spring42–66°
Summer62–83°
Fall45–67°
Nov 4
typical first frost
Apr 7
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Sylvester is
Sylvester beats the West Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 20% of Sylvester adults report frequent physical distress. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who have obesity than Sylvester.
| Sylvester | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 44% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 32% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 14% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Sylvester | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 10.9% | 8.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 24.4% | 19.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.9% | 10.6% |
Boone Memorial Hospital
13.8 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 Sylvester
15pages on Sylvester
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Sylvester; the nearest are
Appalachian Bible CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Mount Hope22.4 mi$18,760 tuitionBridgeValley Community & Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · South Charleston24.9 mi$5,800 in-state tuitionWest Virginia University Institute of TechnologyUniversity or college · Public · Beckley26.1 mi$8,424 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Sylvester residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
About Sylvester
Town in West Virginia, United States
Sylvester is a town in Boone County, West Virginia, United States, along the Big Coal River. The population was 166 at the 2020 census. Sylvester was incorporated on April 11, 1952, by the Boone County Circuit Court. Sylvester bears the name of a family of settlers. Before Sylvester was settled, it was the location of the Coal River Golf Club, which had a nine-hole golf course, picnic ground, tennis courts, and facilities for swimming and fishing. After World War II, the site was laid out for residential development by a local businessman, and became known as the Branham Addition of Whitesville. That name is still seen on the deeds for the homes built in Sylvester. Other than nearby Whitesv…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 863 ft
- ZIP code
- 25193
- Area code
- 304
Questions about Sylvester
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sylvester, WV a good place to live?
Sylvester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.