West Virginia Area Profiles
15 published city profiles across West Virginia, each built from the same authoritative sources and compared on the same terms.
Statewide signals
Opportunity47th of 51 states28
Growth46th of 51 states27
Housing affordabilityTop 4% of 51 states100
ClimateTop 36% of 51 states69
Physical resilience48th of 51 states24
Access46th of 51 states0
Economic stability51st of 51 states6
Cities
15 published profiles across 10 areasCharleston, WV
3 cities
| City | County | Population | Area Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | Kanawha County | 47,421 | 47 |
| South Charleston | Kanawha County | 13,457 | 46 |
| St. Albans | Kanawha County | 10,522 | 41 |
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
2 cities
| City | County | Population | Area Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington | Cabell County | 45,787 | 46 |
| Teays Valley | Putnam County | 14,151 | — |
Morgantown, WV
2 cities
| City | County | Population | Area Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown | Monongalia County | 30,236 | 56 |
| Cheat Lake | Monongalia County | 10,902 | — |
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
2 cities
| City | County | Population | Area Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg | Wood County | 29,240 | 48 |
| Vienna | Wood County | 10,518 | 55 |
Strongest opportunity
- Cheat Lake 73
- Teays Valley 71
- Clarksburg 55
- Martinsburg 48
- Charleston 48
Fastest development
- Martinsburg 79
- Morgantown 48
- Huntington 38
- Wheeling 35
- Fairmont 28
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.
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
| Metric | Value | Compared with peers | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average household size ±0.01 | 2.37 | Bottom 14% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Households ±3,249 | 728,655 | Bottom 25% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age ±0.2 | 42.7 | Top 8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population | 1,778,373 | Bottom 24% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 74/sq mi | Bottom 41% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Home price to income | 2.73 | Bottom 1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.9% | Top 1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units ±394 | 861,325 | Bottom 25% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent ±$8 | $872 | Bottom 2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value ±$1,346 | $162,600 | Bottom 2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Rent as a share of income | 17.6% | Bottom 20% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Vacancy rate | 15.4% | Top 8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income ±$691 | $59,608 | Bottom 4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income ±$337 | $34,203 | Bottom 4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | Top 8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | Top 29% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | Bottom 1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Employment | 748,664 | Bottom 22% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (3 years) | -2.3% | Bottom 14% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | Top 50% | July 2026 |
| Labor force | 780,058 | Bottom 22% | July 2026 |
| Labor force participation | 53.8% | Bottom 2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment change (year over year) | -0.2% | Bottom 48% | July 2026 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | Top 50% | July 2026 |