West Virginia doesn't get a lot of attention for its colleges, but there are 11 towns in the state with at least one four-year school -- and some of them make great places to spend four years.
We wanted to know which ones are the best college towns. You know the type of place: plenty of students, plenty to do, affordable rent, and safe enough to walk around at night.
So we used Saturday Night Science to rank all 11 of them on the colleges themselves, the town around them, and things to do. Morgantown came out on top.
The 10 Best College Towns In West Virginia For 2026
Want the bigger picture? See where West Virginia's towns land among the best college towns in America.
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| Colleges | West Virginia University, West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 18,058 (60 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 30,236 |
| Median rent | $937 |
| Graduation rate | 65% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $25,234 |
Morgantown is home to West Virginia University, West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown. There are 60 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $937 a month, and the average cost to attend is $25,234 a year. It ranks 5th for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | West Virginia Wesleyan College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 954 (19 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 5,116 |
| Median rent | $885 |
| Graduation rate | 55% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $48,190 |
Buckhannon is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College. There are 19 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $885 a month, and the average cost to attend is $48,190 a year. It ranks 3rd for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Davis & Elkins College |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 661 (10 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 6,811 |
| Median rent | $903 |
| Graduation rate | 59% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $44,888 |
Elkins is home to Davis & Elkins College. There are 10 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $903 a month, and the average cost to attend is $44,888 a year. It ranks 1st for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Fairmont State University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 2,590 (14 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 18,221 |
| Median rent | $916 |
| Graduation rate | 55% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $20,018 |
Fairmont is home to Fairmont State University. There are 14 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $916 a month, and the average cost to attend is $20,018 a year. It ranks 4th for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Bluefield State University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 1,042 (11 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 9,387 |
| Median rent | $804 |
| Graduation rate | 50% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $21,839 |
Bluefield is home to Bluefield State University. There are 11 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $804 a month, and the average cost to attend is $21,839 a year. It ranks 2nd for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Valley College-Martinsburg |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 765 (4 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 18,904 |
| Median rent | $1,150 |
| Graduation rate | 68% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $29,949 |
Martinsburg is home to Valley College-Martinsburg. There are 4 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $1,150 a month, and the average cost to attend is $29,949 a year. It ranks 7th for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Marshall University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 7,266 (16 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 45,787 |
| Median rent | $912 |
| Graduation rate | 54% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $22,022 |
Huntington is home to Marshall University. There are 16 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $912 a month, and the average cost to attend is $22,022 a year. It ranks 10th for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | University of Charleston |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 2,259 (5 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 47,421 |
| Median rent | $908 |
| Graduation rate | 45% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $46,470 |
Charleston is home to University of Charleston. There are 5 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $908 a month, and the average cost to attend is $46,470 a year. It ranks 9th for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | Wheeling University |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 589 (2 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 26,350 |
| Median rent | $794 |
| Graduation rate | 20% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $42,504 |
Wheeling is home to Wheeling University. There are 2 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $794 a month, and the average cost to attend is $42,504 a year. It ranks 6th for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
| Colleges | West Virginia University at Parkersburg |
|---|---|
| Undergrads | 1,868 (6 per 100 residents) |
| Population | 29,240 |
| Median rent | $785 |
| Graduation rate | 42% |
| Cost to attend (per year) | $9,420 |
Parkersburg is home to West Virginia University at Parkersburg. There are 6 undergrads for every 100 residents, the median rent is $785 a month, and the average cost to attend is $9,420 a year. It ranks 8th for crime among the 11 towns we ranked.
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the best college towns in West Virginia
First, we decided that every town on the list had to have at least one four-year college -- a school that grants bachelor's degrees -- and at least 5,000 residents. There are 11 towns in West Virginia that fit the bill.
Then we ranked every town on these categories:
- The town: unemployment rate, median rent, and crime per capita
- The colleges: graduation rate, the average cost to attend, and student body diversity
- Things to do: bars, museums and libraries per capita, and population density
- Students: undergrads as a share of the population
- Size: population, since bigger towns have more going on
We ranked each town on every measure, averaged those ranks into a score for each category, and then averaged the categories. The town with the best overall score is the best college town in West Virginia.
Our data comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (enrollment, graduation rates, cost, and diversity), the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the FBI's 2024 crime report. We left out colleges that are online-only or mostly online, since their students don't actually live in town. A handful of towns don't report crime to the FBI, so we gave them the average.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best college towns in West Virginia.
Summary
There You Have It -- The Best College Towns In West Virginia
If you're looking for the best college towns in West Virginia, Morgantown is where to start.
The best college towns in West Virginia are Morgantown, Buckhannon, Elkins, Fairmont, Bluefield, Martinsburg, Huntington, Charleston, Wheeling, and Parkersburg.
For more college towns, check out the best college towns in America.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best college town in West Virginia for 2026?
Morgantown is the best college town in West Virginia for 2026, followed by Buckhannon and Elkins.
How did you rank the best college towns in West Virginia?
We looked at every town in West Virginia with at least 5,000 residents and a four-year college, then ranked them on city characteristics, college characteristics, things to do, the share of residents who are students, and size. The town with the best average rank is number one.
What is the worst college town in West Virginia?
Beckley ranks last of the 11 college towns we ranked in West Virginia for 2026.
Best College Towns In West Virginia For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Undergrads | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morgantown, WV | 30,236 | 18,058 | $937 |
| 2 | Buckhannon, WV | 5,116 | 954 | $885 |
| 3 | Elkins, WV | 6,811 | 661 | $903 |
| 4 | Fairmont, WV | 18,221 | 2,590 | $916 |
| 5 | Bluefield, WV | 9,387 | 1,042 | $804 |
| 6 | Martinsburg, WV | 18,904 | 765 | $1,150 |
| 7 | Huntington, WV | 45,787 | 7,266 | $912 |
| 8 | Charleston, WV | 47,421 | 2,259 | $908 |
| 9 | Wheeling, WV | 26,350 | 589 | $794 |
| 10 | Parkersburg, WV | 29,240 | 1,868 | $785 |
| 11 | Beckley, WV | 16,818 | 981 | $869 |
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