Cabell County vs Kanawha County
Cabell 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.
Cabell County and Kanawha County score about the same overall (40 vs 38 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cabell County | Kanawha County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $47k |
| Home Value | $144k | $131k |
| Monthly Rent | $857 | $868 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $25k | $54k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.65% | 0.69% |
| Income Tax | 7.07% | 7.08% |
| Sales Tax | 6.57% | 6.57% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.16% | 10.90% |
| Unemployment | 6.1% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.9 in | 47.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.0 in | 29.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 203 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 85.4 | 94.5 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 53.7 | 62.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1309/100k | 1769/100k |
| Property Crime | 2497/100k | 2745/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 93,965 | 179,895 |
| Median Age | 39.1 | 43.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.19 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | R+18 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 89.4% | 86.8% |
| Black (%) | 4.3% | 6.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.5% | 1.2% |
| Asian (%) | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 8.1/20 | 7.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 114 mi | 138 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.9% | 84.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 6.07 | 2.83 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Cabell County or Kanawha County more affordable?
- Kanawha County has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Cabell County's $50k and Kanawha County's $47k. Median rent is $857 in Cabell County versus $868 in Kanawha County.
- Is Cabell County or Kanawha County safer?
- Cabell County has the lower violent crime rate. Cabell County reports 1309/100k and Kanawha County reports 1769/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cabell County or Kanawha County?
- The median home value is $144k in Cabell County and $131k in Kanawha County, so homes are more affordable in Kanawha County.