Preston County, West Virginia
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 48% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 62% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 18% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
- top 11% for property tax rate
- bottom 6% for annual snowfall
Preston County is a county in West Virginia with about 34,000 residents. It grades B for safety & wellbeing and D for weather. Standout strengths include property tax rate, property crime, and violent crime. It rates lower on sunny days and annual snowfall.
Official websiteprestoncountywv.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
70%40%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.9 in3.4 in
humid 75%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$60k49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 28% of US counties
Home Value$147k43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$738better than 70% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 64% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.47%better than 89% of US counties
Income Tax6.47%better than 15% of US counties
Sales Tax6.57%better than 73% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.80%better than 44% of US counties
Unemployment7.2%better than 15% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)31°F41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.2 in70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall66.7 inbetter than 6% of US counties
Sunny Days191 daysbetter than 11% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 68% of US counties
Comfortable Days88 daysbetter than 73% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk33.8better than 65% of US counties
School Quality38.9better than 13% of US counties
Violent Crime416/100kbetter than 76% of US counties
Property Crime419/100kbetter than 78% of US counties
Community
Population34,20658th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.560th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1835th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1391st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5673rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)88.6%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.0%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.3%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.7%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time32 minbetter than 11% of US counties
Walkability5.1/20better than 22% of US counties
Airport Distance77 mibetter than 63% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.5%better than 45% of US counties
Amenities Nearby4.97better than 67% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 58% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Preston County an affordable place to live?
- Preston County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 28% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Preston County?
- The median home value in Preston County is $147k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Preston County?
- Median household income in Preston County is $60k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Preston County?
- Median gross rent in Preston County is $738 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Preston County safe?
- Preston County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 416/100k (better than 76%). Property crime is 419/100k.
- What is the weather like in Preston County?
- Preston County averages 72°F in July and 31°F in January, with 49.2 in of annual precipitation and about 191 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Preston County?
- Public-school quality in Preston County is below average, scoring better than 13% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Preston County?
- The average one-way commute in Preston County is 32 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)