Gallup receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Beckley
Gallup
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 5%
vs20 · Bottom 1%
Growth
1 · Bottom 1%
vs20 · Bottom 8%
Climate
66 · Bottom 37%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 50%
vs63 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs98 · Top 14%
Access
5 · Bottom 1%
vs12 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
19 · Bottom 1%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Beckley | Gallup | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,818 | 21,023 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $45,826 | $58,303 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,431 | $25,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,771/sq mi | 1,041/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $158,000 | $165,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $869 | $927 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.4% | 52.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.2% | 23.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 28.9% | 26.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | -33.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.5" | 10.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 113 mi | 101 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.3 | 34.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.48 | 8.97 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Beckley
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave.
Gallup
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Beckley, WV · Gallup, NM · How this is calculated: methodology