<ARTICLE>                                           9
<LEGEND>
UNITED BANKSHARES, INC., AND SUBSIDIARIES
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1997
<CASH>                                     86,805,000
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                        358,000
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                    0
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                    0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>               201,902,000
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                    181,872,000
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                      184,082,000
<LOANS>                                 1,840,686,000
<ALLOWANCE>                                22,249,000
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          2,372,783,000
<DEPOSITS>                              1,870,495,000
<SHORT-TERM>                              114,646,000
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                        32,957,000
<LONG-TERM>                                90,249,000
<COMMON>                                   38,238,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                               0
<PREFERRED>                                         0
<OTHER-SE>                                226,198,000
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>          2,379,783,000
<INTEREST-LOAN>                            78,533,000
<INTEREST-INVEST>                          10,994,000
<INTEREST-OTHER>                              118,000
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                           89,645,000
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                         34,824,000
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         39,106,000
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                      50,539,000  
<LOAN-LOSSES>                               1,150,000  
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                  0  
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                            27,169,000  
<INCOME-PRETAX>                            30,504,000  
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                 30,504,000  
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                     0  
<CHANGES>                                           0  
<NET-INCOME>                               20,168,000  
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    1.33  
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    1.33  
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                   4.77  
<LOANS-NON>                                 5,939,000  
<LOANS-PAST>                                6,394,000  
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                    0  
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                     0  
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                           22,283,000  
<CHARGE-OFFS>                               1,456,000  
<RECOVERIES>                                  272,000  
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                          22,249,000  
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                        7,827,000  
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                 0  
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                    14,422,000