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How do tree services in West Virginia get more customers from Google and AI search?
Short answer: Tree Services in West Virginia get found online with a website that shows their license number, names the towns they serve such as Charleston, Huntington and Morgantown, and collects real local reviews. Licensing runs through the none found. The state had 385 businesses with staff in this Census category in 2022.
- Licensing body: none found.
- The contractor's license number must appear in all contracting advertisements and executed contracts. The license must also be posted at each job site (WV Code 30-42-6).
- 385 businesses with staff in 2022, 45th of 50 states; 91% have fewer than 10 staff.
- Largest cities: Charleston, Huntington and Morgantown.
- Coldest month January (about 31°F), warmest July (about 72°F), statewide average.
Do tree services need a license in West Virginia?
In West Virginia, the licensing body for this work is none found.
- No state arborist or tree service license appears in the Division of Labor licensing list or the contractor classifications.
Contractor registration in West Virginia sits with West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board (Division of Labor). Concrete and masonry each have their own exam class. Painting and fencing have no named class, so they likely fall under Specialty. Applicants pass the Contractor Licensing Act exam plus any trade exam. Each exam costs $59.95.
License numbers in ads and on websites
The contractor's license number must appear in all contracting advertisements and executed contracts. The license must also be posted at each job site (WV Code 30-42-6). A violation can bring a warning, a reprimand or a fine of up to $200 after a hearing.
What does a year of tree service work look like in West Virginia?
Publish each seasonal page four to six weeks ahead.
| Month | Avg temp | Jobs to plan for (our suggestion) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 31°F | storm and ice damage removals, dormant pruning |
| February | 35°F | pruning and removals before leaf-out |
| March | 42°F | pruning and removals before leaf-out |
| April | 53°F | pruning and removals before leaf-out |
| May | 61°F | trimming, clearance work |
| June | 69°F | trimming, clearance work |
| July | 72°F | storm cleanup, emergency removals |
| August | 71°F | trimming, clearance work |
| September | 65°F | trimming, clearance work |
| October | 54°F | pruning and removals before leaf-out |
| November | 43°F | pruning and removals before leaf-out |
| December | 35°F | pruning and removals before leaf-out |
Temperatures: NOAA NCEI nClimDiv statewide data. Job column: our planning suggestion, not survey data.
How many tree service companies compete in West Virginia’s main cities?
| City | County | Businesses with staff | Residents per business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | Kanawha County | 30 | 5,827 |
| Huntington | Cabell County | 20 | 4,604 |
| Morgantown | Monongalia County | 30 | 3,591 |
| Parkersburg | Wood County | 17 | 4,885 |
| Wheeling | Ohio County | 7 | 5,885 |
Competition is tightest around Morgantown (Monongalia County), with one business for every 3,591 residents, and loosest around Wheeling, at one per 5,885.
Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 and County Population Estimates 2023. Counts businesses with paid employees only.
How many tree service companies are in West Virginia?
The Census Bureau counted 385 businesses with employees in West Virginia in 2022, in the category “Landscaping services (the Census group that includes tree services)”. That ranks West Virginia 45th of 50 states, one of the smaller markets, and 0% of the US total. 91% of them have fewer than 10 staff, and 8 have 20 or more.
Together they employ 1,847 people, with an average yearly payroll of $217,200 per business. The three busiest counties hold 23% of them, so the work is spread across the state.
With 1,770,071 residents (Census, July 2023), that is one business for every 4,598 people, against 2,855 nationally: more residents per business than the US average, so each business has more homes to serve.
West Virginia next to its neighbors
| State | Businesses | Residents per business | Under 10 staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 385 | 4,598 | 91% |
| Kentucky | 1,144 | 3,956 | 84% |
| Maryland | 2,084 | 2,966 | 77% |
| Ohio | 4,191 | 2,812 | 87% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,178 | 2,503 | 87% |
| Virginia | 3,082 | 2,828 | 82% |
Counties with the most tree service companies
| County | Businesses | Residents per business |
|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County | 30 | 5,827 |
| Monongalia County | 30 | 3,591 |
| Berkeley County | 28 | 4,730 |
| Putnam County | 25 | 2,278 |
| Raleigh County | 23 | 3,146 |
| Harrison County | 22 | 2,938 |
| Jefferson County | 21 | 2,847 |
| Cabell County | 20 | 4,604 |
| Greenbrier County | 18 | 1,786 |
| Wood County | 17 | 4,885 |
31 of West Virginia’s counties have at least one. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022.
How big are they?
Businesses by number of employees, 2022: 296 with 1-4 staff, 53 with 5-9 staff, 26 with 10-19 staff, 8 with 20-49 staff.
Where West Virginia is growing
New homes and new owners bring new work. West Virginia's population changed -1.2% from July 2020 to July 2023. The fastest-growing counties with 50,000 or more people:
- Berkeley County: 132,440 people, +7.9% since 2020, 28 tree service companies
- Jefferson County: 59,787 people, +3.5% since 2020, 21 tree service companies
- Monongalia County: 107,718 people, +1.7% since 2020, 30 tree service companies
- Marion County: 55,807 people, -0.8% since 2020, 13 tree service companies
- Putnam County: 56,962 people, -0.8% since 2020, 25 tree service companies
Source: US Census Bureau, County Population Estimates, Vintage 2023.
What should a West Virginia tree service website show?
- Your license number in the footer of every page. West Virginia requires it in advertising for at least some trades.
- A service area list that names real counties and towns, for example Kanawha County, Monongalia County and Berkeley County.
- Seasonal pages published before April, so they are found when demand starts.
- Real reviews from local jobs, with the town named, and photos of your own work.
West Virginia questions
Who licenses tree services in West Virginia?
none found. No state arborist or tree service license appears in the Division of Labor licensing list or the contractor classifications.
How many tree service companies are there in West Virginia?
The US Census Bureau counted 385 businesses with employees in West Virginia in 2022 in the category Landscaping services (the Census group that includes tree services), and 91% of them have fewer than 10 staff.
Which county in West Virginia has the most tree service companies?
Kanawha County, with 30 businesses with employees in 2022 (Census County Business Patterns).
Do I need my license number on my website in West Virginia?
The contractor's license number must appear in all contracting advertisements and executed contracts. The license must also be posted at each job site (WV Code 30-42-6). A violation can bring a warning, a reprimand or a fine of up to $200 after a hearing.
When is the busiest season for tree services in West Virginia?
West Virginia’s statewide average runs from about 31°F in January to about 72°F in July (NOAA, 1991 to 2020).
Sources
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 (state and county files)
- US Census Bureau, City, Town and County Population Estimates, Vintage 2023
- NOAA NCEI, nClimDiv statewide temperature and degree days, 1991 to 2020
- https://labor.wv.gov/licensing
- https://code.wvlegislature.gov/30-42-3/
- https://code.wvlegislature.gov/30-42-6/
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