McDowell County, West Virginia
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 68% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 73% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
- top 2% for monthly owner costs
- top 7% for monthly rent
- bottom 1% for unemployment
McDowell County is a county in West Virginia with about 19,000 residents. It grades B+ for weather and F for getting around. Standout strengths include monthly owner costs, monthly rent, and comfortable days. It rates lower on walkability and unemployment.
Official websitemcdowellcounty.wv.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
71%43%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in3.0 in
humid 77%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$28k2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 44% of US counties
Home Value$48k0th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$601better than 93% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$847better than 98% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.56%better than 80% of US counties
Income Tax6.50%better than 14% of US counties
Sales Tax6.57%better than 73% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.62%better than 47% of US counties
Unemployment15.1%better than 1% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)33°F46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.5 in64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall20.0 inbetter than 40% of US counties
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 31% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 65% of US counties
Comfortable Days97 daysbetter than 89% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk76.7better than 23% of US counties
School Quality56.0better than 53% of US counties
Violent Crime853/100kbetter than 45% of US counties
Property Crime236/100kbetter than 86% of US counties
Community
Population18,91140th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age45.379th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3154th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9945th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5978th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)80.6%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)14.1%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.0%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.2%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.1%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time33 minbetter than 7% of US counties
Walkability4.1/20better than 5% of US counties
Airport Distance155 mibetter than 24% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access79.1%better than 28% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.06better than 38% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 47% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is McDowell County an affordable place to live?
- McDowell County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 44% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in McDowell County?
- The median home value in McDowell County is $48k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in McDowell County?
- Median household income in McDowell County is $28k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in McDowell County?
- Median gross rent in McDowell County is $601 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is McDowell County safe?
- McDowell County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 853/100k (better than 45%). Property crime is 236/100k.
- What is the weather like in McDowell County?
- McDowell County averages 72°F in July and 33°F in January, with 47.5 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in McDowell County?
- Public-school quality in McDowell County is about average, scoring better than 53% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in McDowell County?
- The average one-way commute in McDowell County is 33 min.
Other counties in West Virginia
Explore West Virginia
Data sources
- 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)