(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

While the narrative tends to focus on the rapid rate at which West Virginia’s population is shrinking, there are some spots in the state where population is actually growing. It’s worth taking a look at why.

WorldAtlas compiled a list of the communities bucking the trend here, noting something that should be common sense, but seems to have escaped many policy makers: “Jobs and housing explain why these towns add residents while the rest of the state loses them.”

So which communities are growing? Martinsburg, Charles Town and Ranson, in the Eastern Panhandle, which has benefited greatly from its proximity to the Washington, D.C., metro area.

Regarding Martinsburg, WorldAtlas noted “The city has I-81 access, MARC commuter rail toward the Washington area, regional medical care, and a growing warehouse and logistics base, with employers like Procter and Gamble, Macy’s, Rockwool, and Clorox in the mix. The Queen Street corridor and the surrounding neighborhoods give new residents more than a highway exit. Martinsburg keeps absorbing people because jobs, housing, and commuter reach line up in one place.”

Universities and hospitals are a draw, too. And while the Eastern Panhandle certainly has those, two others on the list — Morgantown and Bridgeport — capitalize on them significantly.

Then there’s Hurricane. Perhaps a surprise, it made the list because of its housing development to match the demand coming from both the Huntington and Charleston areas.

“The city brings schools, parks, Main Street businesses, and quick access to Teays Valley and the wider Kanawha Valley job market,” WorldAtlas notes. “Families can stay near the state’s largest metro corridor while finding more suburban space than Charleston itself offers.”

In fact, the publication notes pressure across the state will continue to come down to not just jobs, but housing, education, transportation and services; and that the state is likely to continue shrinking.

One reason for that may be politicians and public officials who continue to ignore the lessons learned in a few communities. People want work, access to affordable housing and healthcare, good schools, and for government also to do its job when it comes to infrastructure, transportation and other quality of life factors. While some of our more rural communities may not have the same potential to meet those needs, other communities most certainly can, should they decide to make the leap.

Without a change in attitude and action, the few growing population centers in our state will not be able to fill in from the top what is leaking from the bottom.