wheretolive.us Real data. Smarter moves. Better living.

State index

West Virginia state guide

Compare large West Virginia cities by 2025 Census population, young-grad fit, BLS state unemployment, schooling access, cost pressure, commute, and safety-check notes. The current West Virginia subset includes 26 South city pages with a combined 2025 population estimate of 389,450.

What the current West Virginia catalog shows

Charles Town, West Virginia has the strongest verified population-growth signal in this West Virginia subset at +42.84% since the 2020 estimates base. Bridgeport, West Virginia has the lowest ACS rent-to-income baseline among the matched catalog cities at 13.3%. These figures describe the WhereToLive.us city subset, not a statewide average.

Catalog cities 26

26 have matched ACS place data.

Catalog median rent $882

Median of matched city ACS gross-rent estimates; not a statewide rent.

Catalog median income $54,294

Median of matched city ACS household-income estimates; not a statewide income.

Catalog median home value $149,600

Median of matched city ACS owner-occupied home values.

Average grad fit 60/100

Charles Town, West Virginia leads this subset at 74/100.

Catalog median commute 21.4 min

Median of matched city approximate ACS commute estimates.

City Catalog Grad fit Median rent Median income 2025 population City unemployment Growth Jobs Cost
Charleston, West Virginia State starter 62/100 $908 $65,812 46,117 6.5% -5.52% competitive rent-friendly
Huntington, West Virginia West Virginia coverage 56/100 $912 $45,100 44,815 6.8% -4.40% competitive rent stretched
Morgantown, West Virginia West Virginia coverage 65/100 $937 $44,727 30,293 6.2% +0.77% competitive rent stretched
Parkersburg, West Virginia West Virginia coverage 57/100 $785 $49,025 28,593 7.9% -3.72% competitive rent watch
Wheeling, West Virginia West Virginia coverage 58/100 $794 $48,590 25,680 6.5% -4.90% competitive rent watch
Martinsburg, West Virginia West Virginia coverage 60/100 $1,150 $59,555 19,211 5.2% +2.50% competitive rent stretched
Weirton, West Virginia West Virginia coverage 56/100 $746 $59,575 18,133 7.1% -5.41% competitive rent-friendly
Fairmont, West Virginia West Virginia coverage 63/100 $916 $63,032 18,035 6.7% -2.07% competitive rent-friendly
Beckley, West Virginia West Virginia coverage 55/100 $869 $45,826 16,373 3.2% -5.19% competitive rent watch
Clarksburg, West Virginia West Virginia coverage 56/100 $790 $47,386 15,562 4.4% -4.65% competitive rent watch
South Charleston, West Virginia 2025 population #2663 59/100 $844 $63,884 13,072 7.0% -5.86% competitive rent-friendly
Vienna, West Virginia 2025 population #3143 63/100 $809 $60,388 10,321 3.5% -3.13% competitive rent-friendly
St. Albans, West Virginia 2025 population #3168 53/100 $931 $53,972 10,210 5.4% -5.99% competitive rent watch
Bridgeport, West Virginia 2025 population #3341 73/100 $1,105 $100,022 9,427 2.3% +2.00% competitive rent-friendly
Charles Town, West Virginia 2025 population #3372 74/100 $1,115 $89,263 9,329 5.9% +42.84% competitive rent-friendly
Bluefield, West Virginia 2025 population #3424 57/100 $804 $49,375 9,158 4.4% -5.03% competitive rent watch
Moundsville, West Virginia 2025 population #3851 54/100 $834 $49,048 7,659 3.2% -5.37% competitive rent watch
Oak Hill, West Virginia 2025 population #3860 53/100 $847 $52,466 7,629 4.6% -6.55% competitive rent watch
Hurricane, West Virginia 2025 population #3944 73/100 $878 $71,167 7,367 3.6% +5.98% competitive rent-friendly
Dunbar, West Virginia 2025 population #4048 57/100 $935 $58,379 7,050 1.8% -5.80% competitive rent watch
Ranson corporation, West Virginia 2025 population #4121 71/100 $1,536 $89,523 6,853 2.5% +25.84% competitive rent watch
Elkins, West Virginia 2025 population #4196 56/100 $903 $44,217 6,622 6.5% -4.53% competitive rent stretched
Nitro, West Virginia 2025 population #4325 54/100 $949 $53,848 6,270 5.4% -5.01% competitive rent watch
Princeton, West Virginia 2025 population #4608 55/100 $747 $43,900 5,578 1.6% -4.97% competitive rent watch
Buckhannon, West Virginia 2025 population #4869 58/100 $885 $54,615 5,054 4.7% -2.64% competitive rent watch
New Martinsville, West Virginia 2025 population #4879 59/100 $688 $60,946 5,039 5.3% -3.32% competitive rent-friendly