War is a city in McDowell County, West Virginia, home to about 628 people across 0.9 square miles. Its ZIP code is 24892, and parts of 24894 are in War too.
Mostly War; also Bartley
Part is in War, part in Berwind
We’re writing up War’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)128 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW)46 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Winston-Salem, NC115 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA400 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of War; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
War had 623 residents in the 2020 census, down 21% since 2000.
It’s the 197th largest of 429 towns in West Virginia by population.
McDowell County grew from 18,747 residents in 1900 to 19,111 in 2020.
McDowell County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 23°F. About 44.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 18 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Richlands, VA weather station (15 miles away).
2,253 jobs at 213 businesses in McDowell County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
5 doctors and other health care providers list an office in War.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 2 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 2 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by McDowell County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southside K-8War | Pre-K–8 | 266 | Public | 1.0 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Bartley and Berwind.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.