You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in West Virginia. Best suburbs in West Virginia. Best counties in West Virginia.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Mountain State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in West Virginia based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in West Virginia ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
$89,013 median income · 1.9% unemployment
$63,750 median income · 11.9% unemployment
$82,308 median income · 2.5% unemployment
$83,409 median income · 3.0% unemployment
$54,554 median income · 0.0% unemployment
$85,094 median income · 0.0% unemployment
$83,000 median income · 0.4% unemployment
$88,487 median income · 4.7% unemployment
$60,769 median income · 3.0% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$59,123 median income · 1.9% unemployment
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
Where West Virginia’s best small towns are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In West Virginia
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in West Virginia possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 118 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 118, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in West Virginia. Top of that list — Williamstown.
This is our eleventh time ranking the best small places to live in West Virginia.
The full plate
Best Small Towns In West Virginia
Click any column to sort. Search by town name.
| Rank | Town | Population | Median Income | Median Home Value | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williamstown | 2,980 | $89,013 | $214,563 | 1.9% |
| 2 | Shepherd | 1,460 | $63,750 | $520,447 | 11.9% |
| 3 | Glen Dale | 1,461 | $82,308 | $185,763 | 2.5% |
| 4 | Bethlehem | 2,592 | $83,409 | $210,343 | 3.0% |
| 5 | Lavalette | 1,005 | $54,554 | $170,471 | 0.0% |
| 6 | Prosperity | 1,389 | $85,094 | $151,820 | 0.0% |
| 7 | Tornado | 1,114 | $83,000 | $187,498 | 0.4% |
| 8 | Blennerhassett | 3,282 | $88,487 | $192,861 | 4.7% |
| 9 | Westover | 4,026 | $60,769 | $189,261 | 3.0% |
| 10 | Star City | 1,960 | $59,123 | $221,727 | 1.9% |
| 11 | Barrackville | 1,430 | $78,558 | $157,717 | 3.7% |
| 12 | Pinch | 4,037 | $76,741 | $237,591 | 0.0% |
| 13 | Eleanor | 1,726 | $78,578 | $223,044 | 0.6% |
| 14 | Bethany | 1,039 | $60,313 | $176,546 | 10.0% |
| 15 | Athens | 1,494 | $56,667 | $180,312 | 5.7% |
| 16 | Shenandoah Junction | 1,141 | $94,821 | $440,990 | 0.0% |
| 17 | Bolivar | 1,215 | $83,068 | $306,854 | 5.7% |
| 18 | Cassville | 1,149 | $90,478 | $242,145 | 0.0% |
| 19 | Mabscott | 1,396 | $57,813 | $171,301 | 5.6% |
| 20 | Winfield | 2,918 | $103,276 | $290,128 | 2.6% |
| 21 | Culloden | 3,040 | $73,318 | $231,824 | 0.0% |
| 22 | Lubeck | 1,495 | $71,171 | $253,895 | 9.7% |
| 23 | Mineralwells | 2,389 | $64,643 | $166,367 | 1.1% |
| 24 | Boaz | 1,400 | $72,560 | $262,262 | 1.0% |
| 25 | Falling Waters | 2,183 | $88,466 | $316,022 | 10.8% |
| 26 | Pleasant Valley | 3,482 | $67,635 | $203,734 | 2.2% |
| 27 | Belle | 1,611 | $77,031 | $114,799 | 10.6% |
| 28 | Nutter Fort | 2,075 | $68,068 | $123,952 | 3.5% |
| 29 | Brush Fork | 1,096 | $70,098 | $96,538 | 0.0% |
| 30 | Shinnston | 2,352 | $69,844 | $135,533 | 2.1% |
| 31 | Milton | 2,817 | $46,429 | $215,795 | 0.8% |
| 32 | Kenova | 2,944 | $53,683 | $135,513 | 0.0% |
| 33 | Follansbee | 2,757 | $58,371 | $122,973 | 5.9% |
| 34 | St. Marys | 2,174 | $63,547 | $157,425 | 1.6% |
| 35 | Inwood | 2,794 | $84,286 | $318,303 | 6.6% |
| 36 | Stonewood | 2,212 | $54,792 | $128,867 | 9.8% |
| 37 | Barboursville | 4,376 | $60,571 | $210,951 | 4.2% |
| 38 | White Sulphur Springs | 2,549 | $46,178 | $180,531 | 1.4% |
| 39 | Lewisburg | 3,835 | $49,560 | $297,777 | 5.3% |
| 40 | Summersville | 3,373 | $56,571 | $188,561 | 6.3% |
| 41 | Shady Spring | 3,381 | $67,407 | $200,298 | 5.8% |
| 42 | Petersburg | 2,384 | $42,917 | $195,016 | 2.1% |
| 43 | Fort Ashby | 1,283 | $44,538 | $243,375 | 0.0% |
| 44 | Paden City | 2,415 | $66,101 | $117,903 | 4.5% |
| 45 | Ravenswood | 3,830 | $34,241 | $179,946 | 0.0% |
| 46 | Washington | 1,139 | $60,365 | $218,969 | 3.6% |
| 47 | Fayetteville | 2,817 | $67,623 | $194,046 | 2.1% |
| 48 | Craigsville | 2,190 | $39,943 | $143,204 | 2.3% |
| 49 | Rand | 1,064 | $61,047 | $96,431 | 5.4% |
| 50 | Point Pleasant | 3,961 | $37,563 | $161,562 | 8.1% |
| 51 | Ripley | 3,071 | $41,518 | $204,495 | 2.2% |
| 52 | Moorefield | 2,525 | $49,063 | $212,500 | 5.3% |
| 53 | Keyser | 4,857 | $46,955 | $173,916 | 12.9% |
| 54 | Mannington | 1,829 | $54,286 | $111,033 | 3.2% |
| 55 | Shannondale | 3,465 | $80,000 | $314,928 | 5.6% |
| 56 | Daniels | 1,489 | $60,278 | $259,766 | 3.9% |
| 57 | Hooverson Heights | 2,090 | $60,781 | $165,831 | 8.4% |
| 58 | Mallory | 1,417 | $101,546 | $114,022 | 2.8% |
| 59 | Gilbert Creek | 1,061 | $82,632 | $128,074 | 0.0% |
| 60 | Chesapeake | 1,702 | $60,927 | $86,980 | 2.3% |
| 61 | West Union | 1,039 | $60,417 | $115,208 | 2.9% |
| 62 | Glenville | 1,037 | $47,422 | $118,758 | 7.1% |
| 63 | Stanaford | 1,449 | $44,219 | $184,994 | 3.1% |
| 64 | Hamlin | 1,068 | $61,429 | $107,040 | 4.4% |
| 65 | Madison | 2,788 | $58,872 | $131,595 | 3.6% |
| 66 | Kingwood | 2,973 | $71,154 | $90,244 | 4.4% |
| 67 | Harrisville | 1,574 | $47,768 | $112,195 | 2.1% |
| 68 | Coal Fork | 1,423 | $70,212 | $108,337 | 29.5% |
| 69 | West Liberty | 1,481 | $43,750 | $145,642 | 7.1% |
| 70 | Mount Gay-Shamrock | 1,166 | $51,740 | $90,209 | 3.5% |
| 71 | Mullens | 2,034 | $61,563 | $58,040 | 0.9% |
| 72 | Wellsburg | 2,203 | $42,868 | $120,846 | 13.3% |
| 73 | Marmet | 1,524 | $52,115 | $90,393 | 12.1% |
| 74 | Sissonville | 3,593 | $66,944 | $172,787 | 5.3% |
| 75 | New Haven | 1,493 | $55,938 | $131,961 | 0.3% |
| 76 | Carpendale | 1,035 | $66,027 | $179,200 | 8.3% |
| 77 | Man | 1,049 | $60,000 | $108,833 | 9.7% |
| 78 | Chester | 2,179 | $56,607 | $120,454 | 13.7% |
| 79 | Ceredo | 1,528 | $49,635 | $164,440 | 5.2% |
| 80 | Bluewell | 1,992 | $35,168 | $134,617 | 2.8% |
| 81 | Ansted | 1,140 | $38,375 | $135,457 | 2.5% |
| 82 | Hinton | 2,086 | $37,610 | $138,402 | 3.9% |
| 83 | Grafton | 4,618 | $40,402 | $141,607 | 7.4% |
| 84 | Crab Orchard | 1,139 | $43,792 | $133,228 | 3.8% |
| 85 | Ronceverte | 1,419 | $41,889 | $174,342 | 7.8% |
| 86 | Weston | 3,840 | $52,070 | $123,433 | 16.2% |
| 87 | Buffalo | 1,150 | $64,583 | $156,552 | 8.1% |
| 88 | Enterprise | 1,087 | $63,636 | $111,133 | 8.7% |
| 89 | Salem | 1,629 | $38,529 | $127,358 | 4.4% |
| 90 | Addison (Webster Springs) | 1,038 | $33,333 | $95,680 | 11.9% |
| 91 | Romney | 1,922 | $49,286 | $227,301 | 10.3% |
| 92 | Benwood | 1,230 | $43,636 | $122,643 | 3.1% |
| 93 | Philippi | 2,861 | $45,879 | $131,491 | 8.1% |
| 94 | Pennsboro | 1,334 | $51,327 | $104,305 | 1.8% |
| 95 | Spencer | 2,291 | $37,639 | $116,521 | 16.5% |
| 96 | Bradley | 1,424 | $43,641 | $152,052 | 5.0% |
| 97 | Montgomery | 1,516 | $27,679 | $72,453 | 10.2% |
| 98 | Welch | 3,507 | $32,969 | $47,895 | 0.0% |
| 99 | Granville | 1,257 | $31,901 | $137,113 | 11.0% |
| 100 | Sistersville | 1,409 | $45,500 | $121,512 | 12.6% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 118 West Virginia towns between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these small towns in West Virginia are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
The best small towns in West Virginia are Williamstown, Shepherd, Glen Dale, Bethlehem, Lavalette, Prosperity, Tornado, Blennerhassett, Westover, and Star City.
