Beaver is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) in Raleigh County,

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

, United States. The population was 1,308 at the 2010 census.

Etymology

Beaver first acquired its name “from the great numbers of beavers abounding in the creeks during the early days of settlement”, according to ''A History of Shady Spring District'' (1979), compiled by the Shady Spring District Woman's Club. When the community became eligible for a post office in the early 1900s, the residents discovered another West Virginia town already had the name. The town adopted the name "Oxley", after a Huntington man who ran a clothing store there. In 1929 or 1930, Grover Hedrick bought Ritter Lumber Company and had the community name changed to "Glen Hedrick." The residents petitioned the federal government for another name change and finally, the community was officially named Beaver in 1939.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the C.D.P. has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11.4 km²), of which 4.4 square miles (11.4 km²) is land and 0.23% is water.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 1,378 people, 602 households, and 388 families residing in the C.D.P. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was 313.7 people per square mile (121.2/km²). There were 696 housing units at an average density of 158.4/sq mi (61.2/km²). The racial composition of the C.D.P. was 98.77% white, 0.07% black, 0.15% aboriginal American, 0.94% Asian, and 0.07% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population. There were 602 households, out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.81. In the C.D.P., the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males. The median income for a household in the C.D.P. was $25,863, and the median income for a family was $32,083. Males had a median income of $35,156 versus $16,836 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the C.D.P. was $16,694. About 9.2% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Notable resident

* Cynthia Rylant (b. 1954), children's author, spent part of her childhood in Cool Ridge and part of her childhood in Beaver."Cynthia Rylant"
, Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library at West Virginia Wesleyan College, accessed 9 May 2024

References

{{authority control Census-designated places in Raleigh County, West Virginia Census-designated places in West Virginia Unincorporated communities in West Virginia Unincorporated communities in Raleigh County, West Virginia