Huntington-Ashland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Huntington-Ashland
Parkersburg-Vienna
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 19%
vs26 · Bottom 5%
Growth
39 · Bottom 33%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Climate
75 · Top 18%
vs70 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 12%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
34 · Bottom 4%
vs43 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 17%
vs35 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Huntington-Ashland | Parkersburg-Vienna | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 370,729 | 88,460 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,078 | $57,391 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,619 | $34,225 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 127/sq mi | 148/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $154,700 | $156,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $884 | $818 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.6% | 75.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -2.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 23.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 458 | 110 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.8% | -22.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.1" | 44.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 99 mi | 91 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 44.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Huntington-Ashland
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Parkersburg-Vienna
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Huntington-Ashland
48
Your Score
50
Area Score
Parkersburg-Vienna
46
Your Score
45
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metro Area · Parkersburg-Vienna, WV Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology