Kanawha County vs Monongalia County
Kanawha County, West Virginia versus Monongalia 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.
Monongalia County edges out Kanawha County on overall objective livability (48 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kanawha County | Monongalia County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $50k |
| Home Value | $131k | $242k |
| Monthly Rent | $868 | $929 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.69% | 0.49% |
| Income Tax | 7.08% | 6.57% |
| Sales Tax | 6.57% | 6.57% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.90% | 10.68% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.6 in | 44.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.9 in | 17.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 203 days | 191 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 78 days | 96 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 94.5 | 71.5 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 62.6 | 50.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1769/100k | 788/100k |
| Property Crime | 2745/100k | 1598/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 179,895 | 105,988 |
| Median Age | 43.6 | 32.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.23 | 0.22 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.07 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | Even |
| White (%) | 86.8% | 87.2% |
| Black (%) | 6.6% | 3.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.2% | 2.3% |
| Asian (%) | 1.2% | 3.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.3% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 7.0/20 | 7.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 138 mi | 64 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.8% | 89.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2.83 | 0.66 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
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 Kanawha County or Monongalia County more affordable?
- Kanawha County has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Kanawha County's $47k and Monongalia County's $50k. Median rent is $868 in Kanawha County versus $929 in Monongalia County.
- Is Kanawha County or Monongalia County safer?
- Monongalia County has the lower violent crime rate. Kanawha County reports 1769/100k and Monongalia County reports 788/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kanawha County or Monongalia County?
- The median home value is $131k in Kanawha County and $242k in Monongalia County, so homes are more affordable in Kanawha County.