Gallup receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gallup
Beckley
Opportunity
20 · Bottom 1%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Growth
20 · Bottom 8%
vs1 · Bottom 1%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs66 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 46%
vs58 · Top 50%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 14%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
12 · Bottom 1%
vs5 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs19 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Gallup | Beckley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,023 | 16,818 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,303 | $45,826 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,302 | $31,431 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,041/sq mi | 1,771/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $165,200 | $158,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $927 | $869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.1% | 55.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -3.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 29.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.8% | 28.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -33.3% | -100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 10.7" | 43.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 101 mi | 113 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 18.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 42.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 8.97 | 12.48 | 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
Gallup
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Beckley
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave.
Full profiles: Gallup, NM · Beckley, WV · How this is calculated: methodology