2026 ranking

Best small towns to live in West Virginia

The 25 West Virginia small towns with the best mix of affordability, safety, schools and jobs, picked from 63 real small towns of 1,000 to 15,000 people — not suburbs.

1
Shenandoah Junction, WV Score 86/100
1,141 people · typical home $193k · household income $97k · 27 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 11% of WV · 1.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
2
Pennsboro, WV Score 74/100
1,334 people · typical home $87k · household income $51k · schools in the top 16% of WV · 2.0% unemployment · 17 mi to a hospital
3
New Haven, WV Score 73/100
1,493 people · typical home $107k · household income $56k · 36 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 42% of WV · 1.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
4
Ranson, WV Score 70/100
5,729 people · typical home $243k · household income $90k · 43 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 11% of WV · 3.0% unemployment · 1 mi to a hospital
5
Nutter Fort, WV Score 69/100
2,075 people · typical home $121k · household income $68k · 132 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 24% of WV · 4.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
6
Grafton, WV Score 69/100
4,618 people · typical home $75k · household income $40k · 66 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 36% of WV · 7.0% unemployment · 1 mi to a hospital
7
Williamstown, WV Score 68/100
2,980 people · typical home $183k · household income $89k · 65 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 44% of WV · 2.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
8
Shinnston, WV Score 67/100
2,352 people · typical home $153k · household income $70k · 86 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 24% of WV · 3.0% unemployment · 8 mi to a hospital
9
Terra Alta, WV Score 66/100
1,841 people · typical home $95k · household income $51k · 6 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 51% of WV · 9.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
10
St. Marys, WV Score 62/100
2,174 people · typical home $147k · household income $64k · 27 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 60% of WV · 3.0% unemployment · 12 mi to a hospital
11
Brush Fork, WV Score 61/100
1,096 people · typical home $90k · household income $70k · 244 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 44% of WV · 1.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
12
Harrisville, WV Score 60/100
1,574 people · typical home $123k · household income $48k · schools in the top 16% of WV · 2.0% unemployment · 21 mi to a hospital
13
Rainelle, WV Score 60/100
1,458 people · typical home $81k · household income $36k · 44 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 56% of WV · 3.0% unemployment · 18 mi to a hospital
14
Ripley, WV Score 59/100
3,071 people · typical home $122k · household income $42k · 101 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 20% of WV · 3.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
15
Ravenswood, WV Score 59/100
3,830 people · typical home $98k · household income $34k · 121 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 20% of WV · 1.0% unemployment · 12 mi to a hospital
16
Salem, WV Score 58/100
1,629 people · typical home $78k · household income $39k · 132 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 24% of WV · 4.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
17
Charles Town, WV Score 58/100
7,337 people · typical home $378k · household income $89k · 27 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 11% of WV · 6.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
18
Bridgeport, WV Score 58/100
9,252 people · typical home $292k · household income $100k · 84 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 26% of WV · 2.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
19
Sistersville, WV Score 56/100
1,409 people · typical home $95k · household income $46k · schools in the top 39% of WV · 11.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
20
Moundsville, WV Score 55/100
7,869 people · typical home $119k · household income $49k · 230 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 32% of WV · 3.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
21
Mannington, WV Score 55/100
1,829 people · typical home $106k · household income $54k · 418 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 18% of WV · 4.0% unemployment · 13 mi to a hospital
22
Welch, WV Score 54/100
3,507 people · typical home $57k · household income $33k · schools in the top 98% of WV · 1.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
23
White Sulphur Springs, WV Score 54/100
2,549 people · typical home $117k · household income $46k · 70 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 56% of WV · 2.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
24
Barrackville, WV Score 54/100
1,430 people · typical home $168k · household income $79k · 418 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 18% of WV · 4.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
25
Glen Dale, WV Score 53/100
1,461 people · typical home $209k · household income $82k · 179 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 34% of WV · 3.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital

How we ranked them

Every small town in West Virginia with 1,000–15,000 people that stands on its own (not part of a big metro core, by USDA rural-urban codes) and has solid Census data. Each town is scored against the others in West Virginia on: affordability (household income vs. home prices), safety (violent crime, FBI), schools (reading proficiency vs. other West Virginia districts), jobs (unemployment, half weight) and everyday access (distance to a hospital and a grocery store, quarter weight each). Missing numbers count as average.

The "best" town is different for everyone — weather, size, politics, things to do and more all matter too.

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