Jackson County, West Virginia

Jackson County, in western West Virginia (WV), was formed in 1831 from parts of Wood, Mason, and Kanawha counties and was named for President Andrew Jackson. Its county seat is at Ripley, though its largest municipality is Ravenswood, on the Ohio River. The county is part of one of West Virginia’s most productive agricultural regions and is renowned for its scenic farmland and wooded ridges. Interstate 77 runs the length of the county between the Parkersburg and Charleston metropolitan areas, to the north and south, respectively. As of the 2010 census, the county’s population was 29,211.

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Cities & Towns

Cottageville, West Virginia
Flatwoods, West Virginia
Kenna, West Virginia
Kentuck, West Virginia
Millwood, West Virginia
Murraysville, West Virginia
Ravenswood, West Virginia
Rock Castle, West Virginia
Ripley, West Virginia
Sandyville, West Virginia
Sherman, West Virginia
Statts Mill, West Virginia

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Parks & Public Recreation Facilities

Cedar Lakes State Recreation Center
Frozencamp Wildlife Management Area
Jackson County Fairgrounds (Cottageville, WV)
O’Brien Lake Wildlife Management Area
Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Rollins Lake Wildlife Management Area
Turkey Run Wildlife Management Area
Woodrum Wildlife Management Area

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History

Long before its creation, the area was home to Native American peoples and later became a frontier zone shaped by river travel, farming, and timbering. The county seat, Ripley, emerged as a local trade and agricultural center, while small river towns such as Ravenswood grew with steamboat traffic and later industrial development. During the Civil War, the county lay in a contested border region, with divided loyalties and strategic importance tied to river access. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, glass manufacturing, chemical production, and river-based commerce helped diversify the economy. Today, the county’s history reflects a blend of frontier roots, industrial growth, and enduring rural communities shaped by the Ohio River and the Appalachian foothills.

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Economics

The county boasts a diversified economy shaped by its Ohio River location, strong manufacturing base, and rural surroundings. For decades, the county has been anchored by chemical production, plastics, and glass manufacturing, with extensive industrial facilities near Ravenswood benefiting from river, rail, and highway access. Agriculture—particularly livestock, hay, and crop farming—continues to play an essential role in outlying areas, while small businesses and services support local communities, including Ripley, the county seat.

In recent years, logistics, warehousing, and light manufacturing have expanded alongside steady employment in education, healthcare, and public services. Proximity to the Mid-Ohio Valley and major transportation corridors allows the county to balance industrial production with a small-town, rural economy, giving it a level of economic stability uncommon in many purely extractive regions of Appalachia.

Jackson County Historic Landmarks

Old Ravenswood School (Ravenswood, WV)

Regional Information

Further information on lodging, dining, and recreation in the county is available in our guide to travel in the Mid-Ohio Valley Region of western West Virginia, where Jackson County is located. For more information on touring the county, contact the Ripley Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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Read more about Jackson County

• The horrors of Skull Run are recounted by a late West Virginia historian