County · code 54087
Roane CountyWest Virginia
Roane County is a county in West Virginia, with its seat in Spencer. It was formed in 1856 and named after Spencer Roane.
- Founded1856
- County seatSpencer
- Named forSpencer Roane
- Land area484 sq mi + 0.2 sq mi water
- Population14,028 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped14,423 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Roane 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 1856 from Gilmer County, Jackson County and Kanawha County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Roane County was created by Virginia on March 11, 1856, from parts of Gilmer, Jackson, and Kanawha counties. On June 20, 1863, Roane County separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. On February 13, 1872, Roane County lost territory to Wirt County.
- 1856Roane County created Roane created by Virginia from Gilmer, Jackson, and Kanawha. · Va. Acts 1855-1856, ch. 109, sec. 1/pp. 91-94
- 1863Became part of West Virginia Roane separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. · Swindler, 10:363
- 1872
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Roane
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 14,423 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, 8,663 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
Roane 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
Roane 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 Roane County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Roane 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 Roane County
- When was Roane County founded?
- Roane County was founded in 1856, formed from Gilmer County, Jackson County and Kanawha County, and named after Spencer Roane.
- What is the county seat of Roane County?
- The county seat of Roane County is Spencer.
- Is there an online parcel map for Roane County?
- Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 14,423 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Roane County's boundary or name changed?
- Roane County was created in 1856 from Gilmer County, Jackson County and Kanawha County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 2 later changes, chiefly involving Wirt County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Roane County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby