Handley, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Handley is a town in Kanawha County
, West Virginia
, USA. The population was 341 as of 2007. Handley was first established in 1877 and known as Upper Creek until July 29, 1881, when its name was changed to Handley for pioneer settlers who farmed the area. Handley has the distinction of bearing a name like no other town in the United States
. The town was incorporated November 1972.
Handley is located in the Upper Kanawha Valley on the south side of the Kanawha River
on West Virginia Route 61, along the Baltimore & Ohio
and Chesapeake & Ohio
Railways. Railroad yards moved here from nearby Montgomery
in 1899. Trains and barges hauled coal
for the Chesapeake Mining Company until deposits were removed from the town and surrounding hills.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.0 square miles (2.5 km²). 0.9 square miles (2.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (2.06%) is water.
of 2007, there were 341 people in the town. The population density
was 380.2 inhabitants per square mile (147.1/km²). There were 171 housing units at an average density of 179.6 per square mile (69.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.8% White, 8.6% African American, 1.1% Native American, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.28% of the population.
There were 147 households out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples
living together, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $21,429, and the median income for a family was $26,250. Males had a median income of $22,188 versus $16,875 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $11,556. About 14.2% of families and 21.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.5% of those under age 18 and 19.0% of those age 65 or over.
Kanawha County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 200,073 people, 86,226 households, and 55,960 families residing in the county. The population density was 222 people per square mile . There were 93,788 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, USA. The population was 341 as of 2007. Handley was first established in 1877 and known as Upper Creek until July 29, 1881, when its name was changed to Handley for pioneer settlers who farmed the area. Handley has the distinction of bearing a name like no other town in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The town was incorporated November 1972.
Handley is located in the Upper Kanawha Valley on the south side of the Kanawha River
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
on West Virginia Route 61, along the Baltimore & Ohio
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
and Chesapeake & Ohio
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
Railways. Railroad yards moved here from nearby Montgomery
Montgomery, West Virginia
Montgomery is a city in West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. Most of the city is in Fayette County, with the remainder in Kanawha County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,942 ....
in 1899. Trains and barges hauled coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
for the Chesapeake Mining Company until deposits were removed from the town and surrounding hills.
Geography
Handley is located at 38°11′12"N 81°21′50"W (38.186707, -81.363904).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 1.0 square miles (2.5 km²). 0.9 square miles (2.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (2.06%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2007, there were 341 people in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 380.2 inhabitants per square mile (147.1/km²). There were 171 housing units at an average density of 179.6 per square mile (69.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.8% White, 8.6% African American, 1.1% Native American, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.28% of the population.
There were 147 households out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $21,429, and the median income for a family was $26,250. Males had a median income of $22,188 versus $16,875 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $11,556. About 14.2% of families and 21.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.5% of those under age 18 and 19.0% of those age 65 or over.