Wheeling receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wheeling
Plainview
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 9%
vs29 · Bottom 5%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs25 · Bottom 12%
Climate
65 · Bottom 34%
vs66 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 22%
vs17 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs89 · Top 34%
Access
80 · Bottom 23%
vs77 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Wheeling | Plainview | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,350 | 19,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,590 | $44,768 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,509 | $25,009 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,938/sq mi | 1,419/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $146,500 | $113,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $794 | $851 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.8% | 52.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.1% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.5% | 24.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 0.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.6" | 19.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 19.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.4 | 32.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.41 | 14.07 | 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
Wheeling
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Plainview
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
Full profiles: Wheeling, WV · Plainview, TX · How this is calculated: methodology