West Virginia
Among the top 12% of US states for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 86% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 35% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 88% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade F, better than 2% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 28% of US states
- top 2% for monthly rent
- top 2% for monthly owner costs
- bottom 4% for walkability
West Virginia is a U.S. state with about 1,793,000 residents. It grades A for safety & wellbeing and F for getting around. Standout strengths include monthly rent, monthly owner costs, and property crime. It rates lower on broadband access and walkability.
Official websitewv.gov (opens in new tab)
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$56k4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 68% of US states
Home Value$151k2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$819better than 98% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 98% of US states
Property Tax Rate0.56%better than 84% of US states
Income Tax6.54%better than 28% of US states
Sales Tax6.57%better than 60% of US states
Estimated total tax burden10.17%better than 56% of US states
Unemployment6.2%better than 20% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)33°F53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.8 in55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall27.6 inbetter than 45% of US states
Sunny Days210 daysbetter than 33% of US states
Summer Humidity64°Fbetter than 47% of US states
Comfortable Days83 daysbetter than 50% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk64.3better than 86% of US states
Air Quality41 AQIbetter than 74% of US states
School Quality51.3better than 30% of US states
Violent Crime844/100kbetter than 82% of US states
Property Crime1144/100kbetter than 88% of US states
Community
Population1,792,96724th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.890th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.164th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0059th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3998th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)90.7%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.4%27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.8%0th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.8%2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.4%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 29% of US states
Walkability6.3/20better than 4% of US states
Airport Distance104 mibetter than 22% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.6%better than 8% of US states
Amenities Nearby5.33better than 71% of US states
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 33% of US states
Frequently asked questions
- Is West Virginia an affordable place to live?
- West Virginia is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 68% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in West Virginia?
- The median home value in West Virginia is $151k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in West Virginia?
- Median household income in West Virginia is $56k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in West Virginia?
- Median gross rent in West Virginia is $819 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is West Virginia safe?
- West Virginia is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 844/100k (better than 82%). Property crime is 1144/100k.
- What is the weather like in West Virginia?
- West Virginia averages 74°F in July and 33°F in January, with 45.8 in of annual precipitation and about 210 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in West Virginia?
- Public-school quality in West Virginia is below average, scoring better than 30% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in West Virginia?
- The average one-way commute in West Virginia is 27 min.
Best places to live in West Virginia
Top cities in West Virginia
Counties in 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)