Rio, West Virginia

Rio (pronounced RYE-O) is an unincorporated community in southern Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Rio is located just north of the Hardy County line at the crossroads of Augusta-Ford Hill Road (West Virginia Secondary Route 53) and Delray Road (West Virginia Route 29) in the North River Valley. The county line actually cuts through the community with 3/4 of it lying in Hampshire County and the remaining 1/4 in Hardy County. One of the main attractions that brings people from far and wide is the "Rio Mall" or C and G Discount. It was founded in the late 1970s and has been a thriving place of economical interest for the "short on cash." The Mall is a thrift store that carries any and all types of items. According to the 2000 census, the Rio community has a population of 154.