When was Jackson County founded?

Jackson County was founded in 1831, formed from Kanawha County, Mason County and Wood County, and named after Andrew Jackson.

What is the county seat of Jackson County?

The county seat of Jackson County is Ripley.

Is there an online parcel map for Jackson County?

Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 20,124 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Jackson County's boundary or name changed?

Jackson County was created in 1831 from Kanawha County, Mason County and Wood County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 6 later changes, chiefly involving Wirt County, Kanawha County and Mason County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Jackson County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 54035

Jackson CountyWest Virginia

Jackson County is in West Virginia with its seat in Ripley. The county was formed in 1831 from parts of Kanawha, Mason, and Wood counties and named after Andrew Jackson.

Founded1831
County seatRipley
Named forAndrew Jackson
Land area464 sq mi + 7.3 sq mi water
Population27,791 2020 Census
Parcels mapped20,124 checked 16 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Jackson County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1831 from Kanawha County, Mason County and Wood County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Jackson County was formed in 1831 from Kanawha County, Mason County and Wood County, and named after Andrew Jackson. Ripley is the county seat.

Deeds and plats from before 1831 for land now in Jackson County may have been recorded in Kanawha County, Mason County and Wood County.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

1831
Jackson County created Jackson created by Virginia from Kanawha, Mason, and Wood.
from Kanawha from Mason from Wood
1 March 1831 · Va. Acts 1830-1831, ch. 73, sec. 1/pp. 138-140
1848
Lost territory Jackson lost to creation of Wirt.
to Wirt
19 January 1848 · Va. Acts 1847-1848, ch. 60, sec. 1/pp. 38-41
1853
Gained territory Jackson gained from Wirt.
from Wirt
16 February 1853 · Va. Acts 1852-1853, ch. 151, sec. 1/p. 130
1856
Lost territory Jackson lost to creation of Roane.
to Roane
11 March 1856 · Va. Acts 1855-1856, ch. 109, sec. 1/pp. 91-94
1863
Became part of West Virginia Jackson separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. 20 June 1863 · Swindler, 10:363
1867
Gained territory Jackson gained from Mason.
from Mason
13 February 1867 · W. Va. Acts 1867, 5th sess., ch. 27, sec. 1/pp. 40-41
1927
Lost territory Jackson lost small area to Kanawha.
to Kanawha
25 July 1927 · W. Va. Acts 1927, 38th sess., ch. 156/pp. 336-338

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Jackson

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 20,124 parcels from West Virginia University GIS Technical Center. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 16 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 16,775 in all from WV GIS Technical Center (WVGISTC, West Virginia University — the state's GIS clearinghouse) serving WV Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (WVDHSEM) SAMS-II address points.
checked 13 October 2026
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Jackson by the Census

Population

27,791 2020 Census count

Housing units

12,888 2020 Census count

Land area

464 square miles

Water area

7.3 square miles

People per sq mi

60 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Jackson County's official site

We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.

County government

County government
The official website of Jackson County.
jacksoncounty.wv.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Jackson County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Jackson County

When was Jackson County founded?: Jackson County was founded in 1831, formed from Kanawha County, Mason County and Wood County, and named after Andrew Jackson.
What is the county seat of Jackson County?: The county seat of Jackson County is Ripley.
Is there an online parcel map for Jackson County?: Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 20,124 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Jackson County's boundary or name changed?: Jackson County was created in 1831 from Kanawha County, Mason County and Wood County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 6 later changes, chiefly involving Wirt County, Kanawha County and Mason County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Jackson County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby