When was Preston County founded?

Preston County was founded in 1818, formed from Monongalia County, and named after James Patton Preston.

What is the county seat of Preston County?

The county seat of Preston County is Kingwood.

Is there an online parcel map for Preston County?

Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 33,749 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Preston County's boundary or name changed?

Preston County was created in 1818 from Monongalia County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 4 later changes, chiefly involving Randolph County and Monongalia County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

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

County · code 54077

Preston CountyWest Virginia

Preston County is a county in West Virginia with its seat in Kingwood. The county was created by Virginia from Monongalia County in 1818 and named after James Patton Preston.

Founded1818
County seatKingwood
Named forJames Patton Preston
Land area649 sq mi + 2.6 sq mi water
Population34,216 2020 Census
Parcels mapped33,749 checked 16 October 2026

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

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1818 from Monongalia County

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

Preston County was created by Virginia from Monongalia County on January 19, 1818. The county gained territory from Randolph County in 1828 and 1838, and from Monongalia County in 1841. Preston County separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia on June 20, 1863.

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

1818
Preston County created Preston created by Virginia from Monongalia.
from Monongalia
19 January 1818 · Va. Acts 1817-1818, ch. 32, sec. 1/pp. 32-34
1828
Gained territory Preston gained from Randolph.
from Randolph
29 February 1828 · Va. Acts 1827-1828, ch. 82, sec. 1/pp. 53-54
1838
Gained territory Preston gained from Randolph.
from Randolph
4 April 1838 · Va. Acts 1838, ch. 62, sec. 1/pp. 57-58
1841
Gained territory Preston gained from Monongalia.
from Monongalia
15 March 1841 · Va. Acts 1840-1841, ch. 44, sec. 1/p. 61
1863
Became part of West Virginia Preston separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. 20 June 1863 · Swindler, 10:363

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Preston

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

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 33,749 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, 18,688 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

Preston by the Census

Population

34,216 2020 Census count

Housing units

15,174 2020 Census count

Land area

649 square miles

Water area

2.6 square miles

People per sq mi

53 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

Preston 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 Preston County.
prestoncountywv.org

See your own lot on these maps

Open Preston 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 Preston County

When was Preston County founded?: Preston County was founded in 1818, formed from Monongalia County, and named after James Patton Preston.
What is the county seat of Preston County?: The county seat of Preston County is Kingwood.
Is there an online parcel map for Preston County?: Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 33,749 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Preston County's boundary or name changed?: Preston County was created in 1818 from Monongalia County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 4 later changes, chiefly involving Randolph County and Monongalia County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Preston County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

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