County · code 54081
Raleigh CountyWest Virginia
Raleigh County is in West Virginia and has its county seat in Beckley. The county was formed in 1850 and named after Walter Raleigh.
- Founded1850
- County seatBeckley
- Named forWalter Raleigh
- Land area605 sq mi + 4 sq mi water
- Population74,591 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped60,677 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Raleigh on the map of West Virginia
West Virginia has 55 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1850 from Fayette County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Raleigh County was created by Virginia from Fayette County on January 23, 1850. In 1863, Raleigh County separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. On February 16, 1871, Raleigh County gained territory from Wyoming County.
- 1850Raleigh County created Raleigh created by Virginia from Fayette. · Va. Acts 1849-1850, Dec. reg. sess., ch. 24, sec. 1/pp. 19-21
- 1863Became part of West Virginia Raleigh separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. · Swindler, 10:363
- 1871Gained territory Raleigh gained from Wyoming. · W. Va. Acts 1871, 9th sess., ch. 56, sec. 1/p. 74
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Raleigh
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 60,677 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, 46,210 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
Raleigh by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Raleigh County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Raleigh 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.
Questions
Common questions about Raleigh County
- When was Raleigh County founded?
- Raleigh County was founded in 1850, formed from Fayette County, and named after Walter Raleigh.
- What is the county seat of Raleigh County?
- The county seat of Raleigh County is Beckley.
- Is there an online parcel map for Raleigh County?
- Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 60,677 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Raleigh County's boundary or name changed?
- Raleigh County was created in 1850 from Fayette County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 2 later changes, chiefly involving Wyoming County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Raleigh County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby