AreaProfile

West Virginia Area Profiles

15 published city profiles across West Virginia, each built from the same authoritative sources and compared on the same terms.

Find places in West Virginia that fit you →

Statewide signals

Opportunity48th of 51 states measured25
Growth46th of 51 states measured31
Housing affordabilityTop 32% of 51 states measured74
ClimateTop 36% of 51 states measured69
Physical resilience48th of 51 states measured24
Access46th of 51 states measured0
Economic stability50th of 51 states measured5

Cities

15 published profiles across 10 areas

Charleston, WV

3 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
CharlestonKanawha County47,42147
South CharlestonKanawha County13,45744
St. AlbansKanawha County10,52242

Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH

2 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
HuntingtonCabell County45,78744
Teays ValleyPutnam County14,15161

Morgantown, WV

2 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
MorgantownMonongalia County30,23661
Cheat LakeMonongalia County10,90267

Parkersburg-Vienna, WV

2 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
ParkersburgWood County29,24043
ViennaWood County10,51853

Wheeling, WV-OH

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
WheelingOhio County26,35047

Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
MartinsburgBerkeley County18,90458

Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
WeirtonHancock County18,64748

Fairmont, WV

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
FairmontMarion County18,22153

Beckley, WV

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
BeckleyRaleigh County16,81841

Clarksburg, WV

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
ClarksburgHarrison County15,54947

Strongest opportunity

  1. Cheat Lake 81
  2. Teays Valley 76
  3. Morgantown 61
  4. Clarksburg 56
  5. Fairmont 56

Fastest development

  1. Martinsburg 79
  2. Teays Valley 74
  3. Morgantown 52
  4. Cheat Lake 46
  5. Huntington 38

Statewide physical risk

Inland floodingElevated
LightningModerate
Cold waveModerate

Low or minimal exposure: landslide, hurricane, winter weather, strong wind, earthquake, hail, heat wave, ice storm, wildfire, avalanche, drought, tornado, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Population-weighted across every county in West Virginia, derived from the FEMA National Risk Index. Exposure varies substantially within a state — check the individual city and ZIP profiles.

Statewide data

MetricValueCompared nationallySource period
Broadband access ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year86.1%Bottom 4%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Distance to major airportNASR current cycle129 miBottom 8%of 51NASR current cycle
Major airports within 100 milesNASR current cycle0Bottom 1%of 51NASR current cycle
No internet access ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year10.9%Bottom 4%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Annual precipitation1991-2020 Normals52.3"92nd percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Average January low1991-2020 Normals23°F54th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Average July high1991-2020 Normals87°F46th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Comfortable months1991-2020 Normals6Top 42%of 511991-2020 Normals
Seasonal temperature swing1991-2020 Normals42°F36th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Average household size ±0.012024 ACS 5-Year2.3714th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Households ±3,2492024 ACS 5-Year728,65525th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median age ±0.22024 ACS 5-Year42.792nd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population2024 ACS 5-Year1,778,37324th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population change (1 year)July 1, 2024 estimate0.0%Bottom 2%of 51July 1, 2024 estimate
Population change (4 years)July 1, 2024 estimate−1.2%Bottom 1%of 51July 1, 2024 estimate
Population density2024 ACS 5-Year74/sq mi41st percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population estimateJuly 1, 2024 estimate1,769,97924th percentileof 51July 1, 2024 estimate
Average permitted value per unit12 months ending July 2026$224,46812th percentileof 5112 months ending July 2026
Housing units permitted (12 months)12 months ending July 20264,173Bottom 14%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Multifamily share of permits12 months ending July 20268.8%2nd percentileof 5112 months ending July 2026
Permit change (3 years)12 months ending July 2026+29.9%Top 8%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)12 months ending July 2026+2.1%Top 48%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents12 months ending July 20262.3Bottom 16%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Cost of living index202389.6Top 16%of 512023
Home price change (1 year)2026 Q2+8.0%98th percentileof 512026 Q2
Home price change (5 years)2026 Q2+43.5%50th percentileof 512026 Q2
Home price change (10 years)2026 Q2+68.5%10th percentileof 512026 Q2
Home price to income ±0.02024 ACS 5-Year2.3Top 2%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Homeownership rate ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year74.9%99th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units ±3942024 ACS 5-Year861,32525th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent ±$82024 ACS 5-Year$872Top 2%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value ±$1,3462024 ACS 5-Year$162,6002nd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median property taxes ±$92024 ACS 5-Year$8654th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Owner household income ±$7312024 ACS 5-Year$70,961Bottom 4%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Property tax rate ±0.01%2024 ACS 5-Year0.53%22nd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Rent as a share of income ±0.7%2024 ACS 5-Year29.4%Top 43%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Seasonal and second homes ±1,2232024 ACS 5-Year29,96522nd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Second homes2024 ACS 5-Year3.5%55th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Vacancy rate2024 ACS 5-Year11.9%94th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Vacant housing units ±3,4042024 ACS 5-Year132,67037th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income ±$6912024 ACS 5-Year$59,608Bottom 4%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income ±$3372024 ACS 5-Year$34,203Bottom 4%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate ±0.4%2024 ACS 5-Year16.0%Bottom 8%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Average commute ±0.2 min2024 ACS 5-Year28.2 minBottom 29%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Bachelor's degree or higher ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year24.1%Bottom 1%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Drove alone to work ±0.1%2024 ACS 5-Year78.1%90th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
EmploymentAugust 2026744,701Bottom 22%of 51August 2026
Employment change (3 years)August 2026−2.2%Bottom 14%of 51August 2026
Employment change (year over year)August 2026−0.7%Bottom 44%of 51August 2026
Labor forceAugust 2026776,14422nd percentileof 51August 2026
Labor force participation ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year70.1%Bottom 2%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Public transit to work ±0.1%2024 ACS 5-Year0.5%22nd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment change (year over year)August 2026−0.4%Top 26%of 51August 2026
Unemployment rateAugust 20264.1%Bottom 46%of 51August 2026
Worked from home ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year9.1%12th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Math proficiency2018-19 school year36.9%Bottom 18%of 502018-19 school year
Public schools2024-25 school year66220th percentileof 512024-25 school year
Schools behind the staffing ratio2024-25 school year61920th percentileof 502024-25 school year
Students per teacher2024-25 school year13.9Top 39%of 502024-25 school year

Counties in West Virginia

13 published

Some measures are published by county and nowhere finer — death rates by intent among them. On a county page those describe the geography they are printed on.

Kanawha County, WV
176,537 residents · 3.9 homicide deaths per 100k
Berkeley County, WV
129,514 residents · 3.6 homicide deaths per 100k
Monongalia County, WV
107,163 residents · 2.0 homicide deaths per 100k
Cabell County, WV
92,739 residents · 4.4 homicide deaths per 100k
Wood County, WV
83,407 residents · 2.7 homicide deaths per 100k
Raleigh County, WV
73,195 residents · 4.1 homicide deaths per 100k
Harrison County, WV
64,984 residents · 2.4 homicide deaths per 100k
Putnam County, WV
57,177 residents · 3.0 homicide deaths per 100k
Marion County, WV
55,909 residents · 0.0 homicide deaths per 100k
Ohio County, WV
41,582 residents · 2.7 homicide deaths per 100k
Wayne County, WV
38,164 residents · 3.3 homicide deaths per 100k
Hancock County, WV
28,431 residents · 3.1 homicide deaths per 100k
Brooke County, WV
21,805 residents · 0.0 homicide deaths per 100k