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Lester, WV
Town in Raleigh County, West Virginia.
Population
377
Land area
0.5sq mi
People per sq mi
752
ZIP codes
0
Lester and its ZIP codes
Lester at a glance
- Lester is about 10 times as dense as West Virginia as a whole.
Local data for Lester, WV
Counts from official public data
Economy and federal money
Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Raleigh County. PPP loans are for Lester.
Unemployment rate
4.2%
Aug 2026, -0.4 pts in a year
Average annual pay
$55,486
32,153 jobs, 2025
Income per person
$55,961
BEA, 2024
Federal spending
$660M
FY 2026, $8,852 per person
Environment and hazard risk
Lester, WV, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA
Natural hazard risk
Relatively Low
Top: landslide
Storm events since 1996
522
Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind
Flood insurance policies
106
0.4% of homes, county
July high / Jan low
79° / 19°F
43.4 inches of rain a year
Health statistics
Share of adults in Lester, WV, CDC PLACES estimates
Obesity
44.6%
U.S. 33.3% +11.3 pts
Diabetes
18.7%
U.S. 12.1% +6.6 pts
Smoking
22.3%
U.S. 12.8% +9.5 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
9.8%
U.S. 11.1% -1.3 pts
Cities near Lester
| Name | Distance | Land area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|
| Glen WhiteCensus-designated place | 1.2 mi | 0.5 |
| SophiaTown | 2.8 mi | 0.7 |
| EcclesCensus-designated place | 3.7 mi | 0.7 |
| Crab OrchardCensus-designated place | 4.1 mi | 2.2 |
| MacArthurCensus-designated place | 4.9 mi | 2.9 |
| MabscottTown | 5.2 mi | 0.9 |
| Coal CityCensus-designated place | 6 mi | 6.3 |
| BeckleyCity | 6.4 mi | 9.5 |
| BoltCensus-designated place | 6.7 mi | 5.4 |
| HelenCensus-designated place | 7 mi | 0.2 |
| RaleighCensus-designated place | 7.2 mi | 0.2 |
| SpragueCensus-designated place | 7.5 mi | 0.6 |
| BeaverCensus-designated place | 8.3 mi | 4.4 |
| RhodellTown | 8.7 mi | 0.3 |
| ProsperityCensus-designated place | 8.8 mi | 2.5 |
| StanafordCensus-designated place | 9.8 mi | 1.9 |
Frequently asked questions
- What county is Lester, WV in?
- Lester is in Raleigh County, West Virginia.
- What is the population of Lester, WV?
- About 377 people live in Lester, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
- What cities are near Lester?
- Nearby places include Glen White (1.2 mi), Sophia (2.8 mi), Eccles (3.7 mi), Crab Orchard (4.1 mi), MacArthur (4.9 mi).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023