Ripley West Virginia Map

About Ripley, West Virginia

Ripley is a locality in Jackson County, West Virginia, United States. It has a population of approximately 3,071. The population density is 367.3 people per km². Ripley is located at 38.8187°N, 81.7107°W. It observes the Eastern Time (America/New_York) timezone. ZIP code: 25271.

Ripley rests in a wide valley, where the land gently swells and falls, a soft green quilt stitched with the darker threads of woodland. It lies 32.0 miles south-south-west of Parkersburg, WV (from Parkersburg, WV: bearing 195°T), and is situated 9.3 miles south-south-east of Ravenswood. The Ohio River, a broad, slow-moving artery, lies a short distance to the west, its presence a constant, hushed murmur in the air, carrying the scent of damp earth and distant rain. Farm fields, checkerboards of corn and soybean, stretch towards the horizon, broken by the occasional cluster of houses and the skeletal grace of bare-branched trees that stand sentinel against the sky. In the early morning, a fine mist often clings to the low-lying areas, lending a spectral beauty to the awakening landscape, before the sun burns through, warming the rich, dark soil. The history of Ripley is deeply entwined with the fertile ground it occupies and the river that shaped its early days. Founded in the early 19th century, its economy was built on agriculture, with tobacco and livestock being primary concerns, and the river provided a vital conduit for trade, bringing goods and people from afar. Later, timber and coal mining played their part in Ripley's development, leaving behind echoes of a more industrious past in the weathered barns and the occasional rusting piece of machinery. Today, while agriculture remains a significant presence, the town has diversified, with small businesses and services supporting its residents, and a quiet sense of community persists, a reflection of generations who have called this valley home.

About This Ripley Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Ripley, West Virginia — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 38.818696, -81.710685. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on Ripley and Jackson County.

Detailed location data for Ripley includes the ZIP code (25271), telephone area code (304), county seat of Jackson County (Ripley), and school district assignment (Jackson County School District). These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Ripley is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.