Foreclosures in West Virginia increased in 2009 over the prior year. There was a total of 1,479 properties with foreclosure filings. That works out to a rate of one filing for every 597 households, which compares to the United States average of 45, and is about one sixth of one percent of the state's housing units.
West Virginia is the 37th largest U.S. state by population, with 1,819,777 people (in 2008). Its 24,230 square miles make it the 41st largest state by area. Median household income in 2008 was $37,989.
West Virginia is among the nation's poorer states, ranking 48th in per capita income and 49th in median household income. The state's economy has long been anchored by coal mining. It produces the second most coal of any U.S. state, and its coal-fired power plants export the most electricity of any state The state is quite mountainous, so agriculture has never been a significant source of revenue for West Virginia. The state is something of a gateway through the Appalachians—its highways and rail lines are vital to interstate trade among the Northeast, South, and Midwest.