Berkeley County vs Kanawha County
Berkeley County, West Virginia versus Kanawha County, West Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Berkeley County edges out Kanawha County on overall objective livability (49 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Berkeley County | Kanawha County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $47k |
| Home Value | $232k | $131k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $868 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.56% | 0.69% |
| Income Tax | 6.93% | 7.08% |
| Sales Tax | 6.57% | 6.57% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.86% | 10.90% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.2 in | 47.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.1 in | 29.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 203 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 75 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 68.3 | 94.5 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 42.0 | 62.6 |
| Violent Crime | 588/100k | 1769/100k |
| Property Crime | 512/100k | 2745/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 123,283 | 179,895 |
| Median Age | 38.8 | 43.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.29 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | R+32 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 82.2% | 86.8% |
| Black (%) | 6.6% | 6.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.2% | 1.2% |
| Asian (%) | 1.0% | 1.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.0% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 6.2/20 | 7.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 46 mi | 138 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.4% | 84.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 7.38 | 2.83 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Berkeley County or Kanawha County more affordable?
- Kanawha County has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Berkeley County's $50k and Kanawha County's $47k. Median rent is $1k in Berkeley County versus $868 in Kanawha County.
- Is Berkeley County or Kanawha County safer?
- Berkeley County has the lower violent crime rate. Berkeley County reports 588/100k and Kanawha County reports 1769/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Berkeley County or Kanawha County?
- The median home value is $232k in Berkeley County and $131k in Kanawha County, so homes are more affordable in Kanawha County.