Despard vs Shinnston
Despard, West Virginia versus Shinnston, West Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Despard and Shinnston score about the same overall (49 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Despard | Shinnston |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $28k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $49k |
| Home Value | $79k | $114k |
| Monthly Rent | $549 | $945 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $241 | $650 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.47% | 0.60% |
| Income Tax | 6.50% | 6.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.57% | 6.57% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.01% | 9.91% |
| Unemployment | 26.4% | 4.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.2 in | 44.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.8 in | 23.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 191 days | 191 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 74 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.8 | 39.3 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.8 | 49.8 |
| Violent Crime | 891/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 1322/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 983 | 2,328 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 39.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.07 | 0.21 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.15 | 0.84 |
| Political Leaning | R+38 | R+38 |
| White (%) | 96.5% | 87.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.0% | 4.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.5% | 6.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 24 min |
| Walkability | 9.6/20 | 8.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 83 mi | 76 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 72.5% | 79.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1037.64 | 38.66 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Despard or Shinnston more affordable?
- Shinnston has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Despard's $49k and Shinnston's $49k. Median rent is $549 in Despard versus $945 in Shinnston.
- Is Despard or Shinnston safer?
- Shinnston has the lower violent crime rate. Despard reports 891/100k and Shinnston reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Despard or Shinnston?
- The median home value is $79k in Despard and $114k in Shinnston, so homes are more affordable in Despard.