West Virginia is home to amazingly awesome pepperoni rolls, fried ravioli, and great places to live.
But what city or town is the best place to live in West Virginia? Is it simply the biggest? Or the one with the lowest crime rate?
Well, today we’ll take you on a tour of some of the places you should place high on your list if you want to live the good life in West Virginia. We compared the Census, FBI, and Zillow data on factors like safety, home prices, and incomes. After researching over 24 places in West Virginia, this set of top ten emerged.
$100,022 median income · $297,307 median home · #1 best place in West Virginia
Located in
Harrison County, West Virginia
We bet that the mountains and the hollers won’t be the only attributes that define West Virginia after you read about the #1 best place to live in the state. Yes, Bridgeport, has an impressive history for a place of just over 9,252 people. Originally chartered in 1816, Bridgeport has continued to grow and prosper throughout the centuries all while keeping its cost of living affordable and its unemployment rate one of the lowest in the state. It’s now home to several aerospace companies and many oil and gas companies; so, when you see that $297,307 price tag for a home here, don’t shed a tear, the median income in Bridgeport is $100,022/year.
Bridgeport has some pretty great schools, too. Bridgeport High School and Middle School and Johnson Elementary have all been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools. Smart and wealthy, folks? We call that West Virginia win.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$71,167 median income · $269,184 median home · #2 best place in West Virginia
Located in
Putnam County, West Virginia
With over 70% of West Virginia covered in forest and mountains, we realize that anywhere you move to in the Mountain State will be amazing, but we think that you should definitely give the state’s 2nd best place to live, Hurricane, a hard look.
This small city of 6,855 residents in Putnam County has the 7th lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.6%. Hurricane’s cost of living is affordable (0.9x lower than the national index of 100) and living expenses like utilities and health services are well below both the state and national levels. And when you’re not busy making the city’s median income of $71,167/year, there’s tons of fun to be had here. In fact, we hear that a day trip to the historic Mud River Covered Bridge is a must!
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$60,388 median income · $183,598 median home · #3 best place in West Virginia
Located in
Wood County, West Virginia
We can thank West Virginia for the “Golden Delicious” apple and the 3rd best place to live, Vienna. The city’s home prices, low cost of living, and low crime rate are as sweet as an apple, too. In fact, you can get a nice single family home in Vienna for the 6th best median home price in the state, $183,598.
The crime rate here is so low, it’s virtually non-existent. To put this in perspective, there were only 360 recorded at the time of this report. And, Vienna’s low hanging fruit does disappoint either. Living expenses like groceries, transportation, and utilities are right on point with the rest of the state and quite a bit lower than the national average.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$60,946 median income · $136,698 median home · #4 best place in West Virginia
New Martinsville is located in northwestern West Virginia, along the Ohio River, right across from the state of the same name. The town of 5,133 people offers more than a pleasant view, however. It also stands as the number 4 top spot to live in the state.
The town’s median income comes in at $60,946, the 6th highest amount in the state. And you can stretch those dollars pretty far in New Martinsville. The cost of living is about 80% the national average. Meanwhile, the median home value sits at $136,698. The unemployment rate in the region is 5.3%.
New Martinsville sits in a relatively rural region. Still, if you want a taste of city life, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is less than two hours away. Or take a scenic drive 45-minutes north to Wheeling, West Virginia.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$58,379 median income · $123,693 median home · #5 best place in West Virginia
Located in
Kanawha County, West Virginia
We’re pretty sure that John Denver was singing about West Virginia’s 5th best place to live, Dunbar, in his song “Almost Heaven,” and this is because Dunbar offers an impressive amount to do while maintaining its small town charm.
The unemployment rate sits as the 2nd lowest in West Virginia at 1.8% and incomes are the 10th highest. The cost of living in Dunbar is extremely manageable (1.0x lower than the state average) and homes are affordable. If you want to buy a home in Dunbar, the median home price here is the 22nd best in the state at $123,693. And the word on Dunbar’s street, if you don’t check out Shawnee Park, you will be missing out.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$53,972 median income · $148,169 median home · #6 best place in West Virginia
Located in
Kanawha County, West Virginia
There’s a lot more to West Virginia than rural highways and byways; matter of fact, where the WV Byway 25 meets the WV Highway 60 is the 6th best place to live in the state, St. Albans. And, yes, for most, St. Albans is one of the best because it is located along the Kanawha River, but for those looking for a sweet ‘ol West Virginia deal, this city is affordable, safe, and the amenities here are top notch.
Home prices in St. Albans are the 13th best in the state, and you only have to make $53,972/year to afford St. Albans’s cost of living. In fact, St. Albans’s living expenses like transportation and utilities won’t break your bank.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$43,900 median income · $166,770 median home · #7 best place in West Virginia
Located in
Mercer County, West Virginia
Princeton, the county seat of Mercer County in West Virginia, ranks as the 7th best place to live for 2026. As a small city with a population of 5,736, it provides a community atmosphere while offering affordable living options, including a $166,770 median home value and $747 median rent costs.
The local economy, historically based on coal and railroads, now celebrates this heritage at the Princeton Railroad Museum. Connectivity through major highways and cultural venues like the Chuck Mathena Center for Arts and Entertainment contribute to Princeton’s ranking.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$59,575 median income · $147,088 median home · #8 best place in West Virginia
Located in
Hancock County, West Virginia
Don’t try and reinvent the wheel; instead, save yourself time and energy and look at West Virginia’s 8th best place to live, Weirton, if you want a place that’s affordable, safe, and lots of fun. In fact, when we pulled Weirton’s SnackAbility numbers, headliners included a low cost of living, low crime, and a bunch of amenities.
Weirton’s living expenses like health services are comparable to the state average and housing costs are quite a bit lower than both the state and national average. If you want to rent or buy a home, just know that you will be paying some of the lowest prices in the state. Weirton is after all one of the best places to retire in West Virginia; and if we know anything about retirees, is that they are always looking for the best deal.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$65,812 median income · $163,657 median home · #9 best place in West Virginia
Located in
Kanawha County, West Virginia
Charleston, located in Kanawha County, is known for its low cost of living and is ranked as the 9th best place to live in West Virginia. With a median home price of $163,657 and a median rent of $908, Charleston offers affordable housing options for residents. The city also boasts a variety of attractions and activities for its residents to enjoy.
Charleston offers a vibrant cultural scene with museums, art galleries, and theaters. You can enjoy performances at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences or visit the West Virginia State Museum to learn about the state’s rich history. The city also hosts festivals and events throughout the year, including the famous West Virginia Dance Festival and the Vandalia Gathering. You can also easily explore other parts of West Virginia from Charleston, such as the beautiful Appalachian Mountains and the scenic New River Gorge.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$44,727 median income · $280,205 median home · #10 best place in West Virginia
Located in
Monongalia County, West Virginia
Whether you’re a fan of the West Virginia University Mountaineers, a fan of Morgantown’s Personal Rapid Transit System, or you just want to live in one of the state’s best cities, Morgantown is for you.
However, if you’re thinking about moving to West Virginia’s 10th best city, you shouldn’t wait as this city of 30,236 residents is one of the fastest growing places in the state. Morgantown also has the youngest population 24; and not surprising, it’s one of the best places in the Mountain State for singles.
We can’t blame the youngsters as the cost of living here is 0.9x lower than the national average, the unemployment rate is the 16th lowest in the state, and the median income is $44,727/year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is West Virginia’s statewide median.
West Virginia statewide median: $59,608
West Virginia statewide median: $174,412
West Virginia statewide median: 5.4%
On the map
Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in West Virginia
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In West Virginia
Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in West Virginia, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit cities with populations over 100,000 against places with a population of 18?
We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.
So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:
- Cities — Populations over 5,000
- Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
- Small Towns — Populations below 1,000
We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in West Virginia have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’
Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.
We ranked each place in West Virginia across a number of criteria from one to 24, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In West Virginia.”
The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Unemployment Rate
- Commute Time
- Crime
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty rates
Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking West Virginia’s best places to live.
If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in West Virginia. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Bridgeport at the end of the cul-de-sac.
The full plate
Best Places To Live In West Virginia Table
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Best Score | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income | Rent | Total Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgeport | 5.70 | 9,252 | 2.3% | $297,307 | $100,022 | 1,621 | |
| 2 | Hurricane | 8.40 | 6,855 | 3.6% | $269,184 | $71,167 | 1,342 | |
| 3 | Vienna | 8.40 | 10,518 | 3.5% | $183,598 | $60,388 | 3,423 | |
| 4 | New Martinsville | 8.60 | 5,133 | 5.3% | $136,698 | $60,946 | 136 | |
| 5 | Dunbar | 9.00 | 7,254 | 1.8% | $123,693 | $58,379 | 2,068 | |
| 6 | St. Albans | 10.05 | 10,522 | 5.4% | $148,169 | $53,972 | 2,252 | |
| 7 | Princeton | 10.10 | 5,736 | 1.6% | $166,770 | $43,900 | 1,481 | |
| 8 | Weirton | 11.20 | 18,647 | 7.1% | $147,088 | $59,575 | 456 | |
| 9 | Charleston | 11.20 | 47,421 | 6.5% | $163,657 | $65,812 | 3,572 | |
| 10 | Morgantown | 11.30 | 30,236 | 6.2% | $280,205 | $44,727 | 2,189 | |
| 11 | Buckhannon | 11.70 | 5,116 | 4.7% | $156,489 | $54,615 | 1,525 | |
| 12 | South Charleston | 12.20 | 13,457 | 7.0% | $167,047 | $63,884 | 5,848 | |
| 13 | Fairmont | 12.25 | 18,221 | 6.7% | $185,554 | $63,032 | 1,828 | |
| 14 | Elkins | 12.40 | 6,811 | 6.5% | $166,143 | $44,217 | 866 | |
| 15 | Martinsburg | 13.30 | 18,904 | 5.2% | $307,800 | $59,555 | 2,846 | |
| 16 | Moundsville | 14.25 | 7,869 | 3.2% | $124,991 | $49,048 | 2,930 | |
| 17 | Wheeling | 14.30 | 26,350 | 6.5% | $148,167 | $48,590 | 2,930 | |
| 18 | Beckley | 14.35 | 16,818 | 3.2% | $146,483 | $45,826 | 8,289 | |
| 19 | Nitro | 15.95 | 6,853 | 5.4% | $140,563 | $53,848 | 3,648 | |
| 20 | Parkersburg | 16.40 | 29,240 | 7.9% | $147,802 | $49,025 | 3,427 | |
| 21 | Bluefield | 16.45 | 9,387 | 4.4% | $105,765 | $49,375 | 1,481 | |
| 22 | Oak Hill | 16.70 | 7,937 | 4.6% | $150,326 | $52,466 | 2,167 | |
| 23 | Clarksburg | 17.80 | 15,549 | 4.4% | $114,207 | $47,386 | 2,553 | |
| 24 | Huntington | 18.00 | 45,787 | 6.8% | $139,631 | $45,100 | 4,313 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, Zillow research. 24 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places In West Virginia
If you’re looking at areas in West Virginia with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The best places to live in West Virginia are Bridgeport, Hurricane, Vienna, New Martinsville, Dunbar, St. Albans, Princeton, Weirton, Charleston, and Morgantown.
Bridgeport made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in West Virginia for 2026.
