Kanawha County, West Virginia
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 39% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 5% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 62% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 39% of US counties
- bottom 5% for property crime
Kanawha County is a county in West Virginia with about 180,000 residents. It grades B for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, sales tax, and monthly owner costs. It rates lower on natural disaster risk and property crime.
Official websitekanawha.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
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68%38%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in3.2 in
muggy 82%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$55k34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 35% of US counties
Home Value$131k33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$868better than 40% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 71% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.69%better than 64% of US counties
Income Tax7.08%better than 13% of US counties
State 6.50% + Local 0.58%
Sales Tax6.57%better than 73% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.90%better than 26% of US counties
Unemployment5.4%better than 36% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)35°F51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.6 in64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall29.9 inbetter than 29% of US counties
Sunny Days203 daysbetter than 19% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 43% of US counties
Comfortable Days78 daysbetter than 46% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk94.5better than 5% of US counties
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 56% of US counties
School Quality62.6better than 64% of US counties
Violent Crime1769/100kbetter than 10% of US counties
Property Crime2745/100kbetter than 5% of US counties
Community
Population179,89588th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.669th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2344th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9413th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1526th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)86.8%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.6%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.2%6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.2%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.3%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 68% of US counties
Walkability7.0/20better than 74% of US counties
Airport Distance138 mibetter than 29% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.8%better than 60% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.83better than 54% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 23% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Kanawha County an affordable place to live?
- Kanawha County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 35% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Kanawha County?
- The median home value in Kanawha County is $131k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Kanawha County?
- Median household income in Kanawha County is $55k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Kanawha County?
- Median gross rent in Kanawha County is $868 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Kanawha County safe?
- Kanawha County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1769/100k (better than 10%). Property crime is 2745/100k.
- What is the weather like in Kanawha County?
- Kanawha County averages 75°F in July and 35°F in January, with 47.6 in of annual precipitation and about 203 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Kanawha County?
- Public-school quality in Kanawha County is above average, scoring better than 64% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Kanawha County?
- The average one-way commute in Kanawha County is 22 min.
Other counties in West Virginia
Explore West Virginia
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)