Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011)

This article, the thirty-ninth in a 50-state series, ranks the best places to live in West Virginia based on three criteria: (1) median household income (adjusted for cost of living); (2) educational attainment (% of residents 25 years and over who have earned a bachelor's degree or higher); and (3) property crime rates per 1,000 residents (burglary and automobile thefts). For purposes of these rankings, "places" are incorporated municipalities with populations greater than 1,000.

Among the twenty best places to live in West Virginia, seven comprise Charleston and its suburbs, three are suburbs of Wheeling, two are suburbs of Morgantown, two are suburbs of Parkersburg, two are suburbs of Frederick, Maryland, two are county seats, one is a suburb of Huntington, and one is an exurb of Blacksburg, Virginia. By county, three of the best places to live in West Virginia are located in Putnam County, three in Kanawha County, two in Jefferson County, two in Wood County, and one each in Brooke, Cabell, Fayette, Greenbrier, Harrison, Marshall, Mercer, Monongalia, Nicholas, and Ohio counties.

After reading "Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011)," return to this link to read "Largest Cities in West Virginia (2011)." A collection of similar articles for the remaining 49 states can be found at these links: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

For the culmination of the 50-state series, read "Best Places to Live in America (2011)."

1. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Shepherdstown, WV (Jefferson County)

Population: 1,354

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $65,149
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 54.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.46*

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 299 miles SW
Frederick, MD: 28 miles E
Washington, DC: 74 miles SE

2. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Lewisburg, WV (Greenbrier County)

Population: 3,510

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $42,128
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 54.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.85

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 103 miles NW
Roanoke, VA: 80 miles SE

3. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Athens, WV (Mercer County)

Population: 1,080

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $58,951
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 51.5%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 4.3*

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 91 miles NNW
Blacksburg, VA: 54 miles ESE

4. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Bridegeport, WV (Harrison County)

Population: 7,740

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $75,419
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 37.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 4.89

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 126 miles SW
Morgantown, WV: 37 miles NE

5. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Winfield, WV (Putnam County)

Population: 2,238

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $73,000
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 32.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 8.36

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 25 miles SE
Huntington, WV: 38 miles WSW

6. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Williamstown, WV (Wood County)

Population: 2,973

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $49,026
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 28.3%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.29

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 85 miles S
Parkersburg, WV: 13 miles SSW

7. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Hurricane, WV (Putnam County)

Population: 6,189

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $61,389
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 25.5%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 3.89

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 25 miles ESE
Huntington, WV: 28 miles W

8. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Bethlehem, WV (Ohio County)

Population: 2,695

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $60,825
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 32.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 8.86*

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 162 miles SSW
Wheeling, WV: 3 miles NW

9. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Summerville, WV (Nicholas County)

Population: 3,296

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $54,216
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 25.4%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 5.14

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 63 miles WNW
Huntington, WV: 124 miles W

10. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Fayetteville, WV (Fayette County)

Population: 2,682

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $53,240
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 22.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 4.02*

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 51 miles NW
Blacksburg, VA: 103 miles SE

11. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- South Charleston, WV (Kanawha County)

Population: 12,636

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $50,050
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 30.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 8.36

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 4 miles SE
Huntington, WV: 45 miles W

12. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Glen Dale, WV (Marshall County)

Population: 1,616

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $50,543
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 25.5%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 7.25

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 152 miles SSW
Wheeling, WV: 9 miles S
Pittsburgh, PA: 63 miles NE

13. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Dunbar, WV (Kanawha County)

Population: 7,637

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $49,235
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 23.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.83

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 7 miles ESE
Huntington, WV: 47 miles W

14. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Follansbee, WV (Brooke County)

Population: 2,872

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $49,538
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 22.8%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.83

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 181 miles SSW
Wheeling, WV: 21 miles SSW
Pittsburgh, PA: 40 miles ENE

15. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Vienna, WV (Wood County)

Population: 10,566

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $46,240
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 28.2%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 6.14

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 88 miles S
Parkersburg, WV: 5 miles S

16. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Poca, WV (Putnam County)

Population: 1,162

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $61,410
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 22.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 7.14

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 17 miles SE
Huntington, WV: 41 miles W

17. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Barboursville, WV (Cabell County)

Population: 3,374

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $57,428
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 31.6%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 13.13

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 41 miles ESE
Huntington, WV: 10 miles W

18. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Charles Town, WV (Jefferson County)

Population: 4,274

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $41,644
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 31.7%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 6.19

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 292 miles SW
Frederick, MD: 28 miles NE

19. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Star City, WV (Monogalia County)

Population: 1,859

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $33,804
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 38.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 7.35*

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Charleston, WV: 159 miles SW
Morgantown, WV: 3 miles SE

20. Best Places to Live in West Virginia (2011) -- Charleston, WV (Kanawha County)

Population: 50,454

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $47,498
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 36.6%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 16.25

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Huntington, WV: 44 miles W
Morgantown, WV: 156 miles NE


*In some cases, municipalities do not report their crime statistics to the FBI or they contract for services with the state or a county law enforcement agency. For those towns, crime rates are extrapolated from municipal, county, state, or contiguous municipality data.

The sources used in support of this article include the latest 1, 3, and 5-year estimates from the U.S. Census and the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report.

More Articles from J.C. Grant

"Average ACT Scores by State (2010)"
"Average SAT Scores by State (2010)"
"Largest U.S. Cities: Population Size (2011)"
"Most_Dangerous_Cities_in_America - Murder Rates"
"State Education Rankings: Graduation Rates for High School, College, and Grad/Professional School"
"State Education Rankings: SAT Scores"

Source(s):

"All Cities in West Virginia" City-Data.com
"2009 ACS 1-year Estimates," U.S. Census Bureau
"2007-2009 ACS 3-year Estimates," U.S. Census Bureau
"2006-2008 ACS 3-year Estimates," U.S. Census Bureau
"2005-2009 ACS 5-Year Estimates," U.S. Census Bureau
"Uniform Crime Report," Federal Bureau of Investigation