Pendleton County, West Virginia

Pendleton County
Pendleton County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of West Virginia
West Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°41′N 79°22′W / 38.68°N 79.36°W / 38.68; -79.36
Country United States
State West Virginia
FoundedMay 1, 1788
Named afterEdmund Pendleton
SeatFranklin
Largest townFranklin
Area
  Total
698 sq mi (1,810 km2)
  Land696 sq mi (1,800 km2)
  Water2.1 sq mi (5 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
6,143
  Estimate 
(2021)
6,142
  Density8.8/sq mi (3.4/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.pendletoncounty.wv.gov

Pendleton County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,143, making it the second-least populous county in West Virginia. Its county seat is Franklin. The county was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1788 from parts of Augusta, Hardy, and Rockingham counties and was named for Edmund Pendleton (1721–1803), a distinguished Virginia statesman and jurist.

Spruce Knob, located in Pendleton County, is the highest point in the state and in the Alleghenies, its elevation being 4,863 feet. Parts of the Monongahela and George Washington National Forests are also located in Pendleton County.