Mercer County, West Virginia
Among the top 15% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 85% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 68% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 34% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 48% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
- top 8% for comfortable days
- top 14% for property tax rate
- bottom 15% for income tax
Mercer County is a county in West Virginia with about 60,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and C for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include comfortable days, property tax rate, and monthly owner costs. It rates lower on airport distance and income tax.
Official websitemercercounty.wv.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
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warm
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cool
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v.cold
70%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.0 in2.8 in
humid 87%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$46k14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 65% of US counties
Home Value$115k22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$777better than 60% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 86% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.50%better than 86% of US counties
Income Tax6.49%better than 15% of US counties
Sales Tax6.57%better than 73% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.90%better than 41% of US counties
Unemployment4.2%better than 61% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)32°F45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation41.3 in46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall28.3 inbetter than 30% of US counties
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 31% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 65% of US counties
Comfortable Days100 daysbetter than 92% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk65.2better than 34% of US counties
School Quality46.4better than 31% of US counties
Violent Crime958/100kbetter than 38% of US counties
Property Crime731/100kbetter than 59% of US counties
Community
Population59,53072nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.367th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1937th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5572nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)89.2%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.8%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.3%7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 57% of US counties
Walkability6.6/20better than 67% of US counties
Airport Distance152 mibetter than 25% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access81.7%better than 40% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.54better than 70% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 71% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mercer County an affordable place to live?
- Mercer County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 65% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Mercer County?
- The median home value in Mercer County is $115k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Mercer County?
- Median household income in Mercer County is $46k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Mercer County?
- Median gross rent in Mercer County is $777 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Mercer County safe?
- Mercer County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 958/100k (better than 38%). Property crime is 731/100k.
- What is the weather like in Mercer County?
- Mercer County averages 71°F in July and 32°F in January, with 41.3 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Mercer County?
- Public-school quality in Mercer County is below average, scoring better than 31% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Mercer County?
- The average one-way commute in Mercer County is 23 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)