In the early years of the seventeenth century, the area now known as West Virginia was inhabited by different tribes: Siouan Monongahela Culture to the North, the Tutelo, Moneton, and Eastern Siouan in the Southeastern region, the Iroquoian Susquehannock in the eastern part of the Monongahela River, and a tribe believed to be the Shenandoah in the Shenandoah Valley. Some other tribes also cluster in areas within the region. The terrain of West Virginia influenced the economy and settlement pattern of the people that lived in the region in this period, and they were predominantly farmers and hunters.

There are traces of prehistoric civilization in the region as artificial earthen mounds from various prehistoric cultures have been discovered, especially in South Charleston, Moundsville, and Romney. These archeological discoveries, including the artifacts discovered, lend credence to village societies with a tribal trade system culture and copper crafting technology.

According to WorldPopulationReview, West Virginia has over 1.76M inhabitants,  the 40th largest state by population in the United States, and is one of the smallest landmasses. According to Data USA, its total surface area measures 24,230 square miles (62,755 kilometers square), which translates to 77.1 people per square mile of land. The State has a low-income rate compared to other States as the median income rate is $48,850, and the poverty rate stands at 17.6%. 

The 5 predominant ethnic groups in West Virginia, according to StatisticalAtlas, are; White (Non-Hispanic) 92%, Black/African American (Non-Hispanic) 3.63%, people with more than two ethnic makeup (Non-Hispanic) 1.7%, White (Hispanic) 1.03%, and Asian (Non-Hispanic) 0.786%. 99.2% of West Virginia residents are US citizens. The state is ranked 50th of 50 in the diversification index - it has the lowest percentage of Hispanic or Latino residents and is also one of the states with the lowest number of African American inhabitants.

West Virginia has one of the lowest numbers of non-Hispanic white — the non-Hispanic population is more than 90% of its total population, one of the lowest percentages of foreign-born in its population ranking, and has the lowest percentage of residents that speak another language besides English in their homes.

The median age of the resident in West Virginia is approximately 41.9 years. Females are 50.6% of the total population, while males are 49.4%. In terms of religious belief among the resident of West Virginia, 78% of the total population are affiliated with Christian based faith (Orthodox, Catholicism, Jehovah’s Witness, and Mormons), 3% are affiliated with non-Christian based faith (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism) while 18% are neutrals — not affiliated with any faith.

West Virginia has a distinct climatic condition and season of about equal proportion. The climatic condition is uniform in all areas, except for a marine modification in the eastern panhandle. 

According to Britannica, "Mean annual temperatures, reflecting latitude and elevation, range from about 56 °F (13 °C) in the south to 52 °F (11 °C) in the north and 48 °F (9 °C) in the most mountainous regions. January is the coldest month, with a statewide average of 33 °F (1 °C), and July is the warmest, with a 73 °F (23 °C) average."

The frost-free period of the year when cultivation of crops is favorable and indigenous vegetation thrives is 160 days; sometimes, it can be less, and sometimes it can be more. The mean annual precipitation in the state is 60 inches (1520 mm) in the Appalachian Plateaus and 35 inches (890 mm) inches in the rain shadow, east of the mountains. The total precipitation comprises 8 per cent of snowfall and varies from about a seasonal average of about 64 inches (1,620 mm) in the eastern mountain to less than 20 inches (510 mm in the southwest.

West Virginia has 44 universities and colleges strategically located throughout the state. Two are research universities, two special-focus institutions, five master's universities, and fourteen baccalaureate colleges. Twenty of these institutions are publicly owned, ten are private non-profit oriented private-owned institutions, while twelve are profit-oriented private institutions.

West Virginia has 239 high schools (181 public and 58 private schools). The state also boasts 2109 elementary schools distributed throughout the state. The state has an 86.60% literacy rate, making it 35th on the table of literacy rates in the United States.