Dickenson County is a mountainous United States county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia on the Appalachian Plateau. Bordering Kentucky, Dickenson is situated near the far western point of Virginia. Its county seat is Clintwood, and, as of the 2020 census, the county population was 14,124.

Formed in 1880 from parts of several western Virginia counties, Dickenson is the most recently created county in the state. The county was named in honor of William J. Dickenson, a long serving local member of the Virginia General Assembly, who sponsored the creation of the new county.

History Dickenson County, formed in 1880 from parts of Buchanan County, Russell County, and Wise County, is Virginia's youngest county. It was named for William J. Dickenson (1827-1907), delegate to the Virginia General Assembly from Russell County, 1859–1861, 1865–1867, and 1877–1882. This formation came as a result of demands from the inhabitants that they be represented by a county government closer to the people. In 1880, Delegate Dickenson sponsored the bill in the House of Delegates to establish Dickenson County as the one-hundredth county in Virginia. Dickenson County has since become known as "Virginia's Baby." On June 13, 1932, 10 people were killed when the Splashdam Mine exploded.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water.

Districts The county is divided into five magisterial districts with a supervisor elected from each district every four years. The districts are: Clintwood, Ervinton, Sandlick, Kenady, and Willis.

Adjacent counties Buchanan County – northeast Russell County – southeast Wise County – southwest Pike County, Kentucky – northwest

National protected area Jefferson National Forest (part)

Major highways

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Dickenson County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)19,54217,46716,16315,65013,69198.67%99.13%98.58%98.41%96.93%Black or African American alone (NH)92685851480.46%0.39%0.35%0.32%0.34%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)4131823220.02%0.07%0.11%0.14%0.16%Asian alone (NH)17141217120.09%0.08%0.07%0.11%0.08%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census002xx0.00%0.00%0.01%Other race alone (NH)8049120.04%0.00%0.02%0.06%0.08%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census7067254xx0.43%0.42%1.80%Hispanic or Latino (any race)143587086830.72%0.33%0.43%0.54%0.59%Total19,80617,62016,39515,90314,124 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 14,124. The median age was 46.3 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.0 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 6,054 households in the county, of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 7,344 housing units, of which 17.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.4% were owner-occupied and 22.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.1%.

2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 16,395 people, 6,732 households, and 4,887 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 7,684 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.96% White, 0.35% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.45% from two or more races. 0.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,732 households, out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.10% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $23,431, and the median income for a family was $27,986. Males had a median income of $27,281 versus $17,695 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,822. About 16.90% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.80% of those under age 18 and 17.30% of those age 65 or over. Education

Public high schools Ridgeview High School

Public middle schools Ridgeview Middle School

Public elementary schools Ridgeview Elementary School

Media

Radio station WDIC-FM

Law enforcement

The Dickenson County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) is the primary law enforcement agency in Dickenson County, Virginia. When the office was formed in 1880, one person was appointed as the Election Supervisor, Tax Collector, and the Chief Law Enforcement Officer. Now the sheriff is an elected official.Dickenson County Sheriff's Office - Sheriff's Office

Politics

Communities Towns Clinchco Clintwood Haysi

Census-designated place Dante (mostly in Russell County)

Other unincorporated communities Aily Bee Caney Ridge Darwin Lick Fork McClure Nora Sandlick Trammel Wakenva

Notable people Brig. Gen. Gerald Childress (1930-2022), Army officer including 82nd Airborne, then superintendent of the New Mexico Military Institute Justin Hamilton, former NFL player for Washington Commanders, grew up in Clintwood. Darrell "Shifty" Powers, World War II (D-Day) veteran, Company E ("Easy Company") 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. 101st Airborne Division, portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers Trazel Silvers, former professional basketball player for the Harlem Globetrotters and in Europe. Ralph Stanley and Carter Stanley, The Stanley Brothers, bluegrass musicians

See also Dickenson County Courthouse Dickenson County Sheriff's Office National Register of Historic Places listings in Dickenson County, Virginia

References

External links Dickenson County Official Website Dickenson County Public Schools Dickenson County Discussion Board (DCDB) – Very active and popular local forum, in continuous operation since 1996. – Portal of information related to Dickenson County. Ralph Stanley Museum & Traditional Mountain Music Center