State rankings

Best Counties to Live in West Virginia

Compare counties in West Virginia by overall score, affordability, economy, schools, safety, taxes, and peace & quiet. Rankings are public-data estimates for comparison and research.

#1 in WV

Putnam County

72.9

Overall score

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#2 in WV

Jefferson County

70.4

Overall score

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#3 in WV

Marion County

65.8

Overall score

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#4 in WV

Tyler County

65.6

Overall score

Open county report

#5 in WV

Monongalia County

65.1

Overall score

Open county report

Category highlights

Quick entry points for common county search priorities.

National rankings

Best overall

Putnam County

Overall score 72.9

Most affordable

Wyoming County

Affordability 94.8

Best schools

Putnam County

Schools 80

Safest

Mingo County

Safety 99.3

Lowest taxes

Grant County

Taxes 89.2

Best peace & quiet

Randolph County

Peace & Quiet 87.6

All West Virginia counties

Showing 55 counties ranked by the default generated overall score.

Rank	County	Overall	Economy	Afford.	Schools	Safety	Taxes	Peace & Quiet	Typical home	Income
1	Putnam County FIPS 54079	72.9	67.8	75.3	80	64.7	74.7	78.4	$243,848	$79,527
2	Jefferson County FIPS 54037	70.4	91.1	55.6	51.7	83.9	76.4	63.7	$392,032	$98,806
3	Marion County FIPS 54049	65.8	52.7	84.5	41.6	80.7	72.5	76.6	$160,437	$67,370
4	Tyler County FIPS 54095	65.6	33.6	93.3	45.7	88.4	75.6	78.5	$116,544	$63,693
5	Monongalia County FIPS 54061	65.1	57	52.4	69.5	84.2	76.2	71.8	$262,195	$65,346
6	Mineral County FIPS 54057	65	55.4	81	18.4	98.6	82.6	82.4	$190,103	$69,375
7	Grant County FIPS 54023	64.5	51.3	74.5	27.4	96.9	89.2	82.9	$185,577	$62,361
8	Harrison County FIPS 54033	64.4	51.5	83.5	34.7	83.6	71.8	79.7	$146,770	$60,377
9	Berkeley County FIPS 54003	63.6	75.6	58.6	25.9	93.7	78.9	58.2	$317,561	$80,815
10	Hancock County FIPS 54029	63.5	34.9	84.7	40.8	97.8	74.4	66.5	$141,481	$61,466
11	Doddridge County FIPS 54017	62.6	41.2	85.1	31.2	90.3	73	79.7	$133,729	$57,401
12	Pendleton County FIPS 54071	62.2	63.3	62.8	43.6	-	89.2	74.4	$214,776	$64,931
13	Taylor County FIPS 54091	62.1	51.8	75.1	23.7	89.3	81.5	81.2	$185,971	$57,795
14	Preston County FIPS 54077	61.4	50	86.1	14.7	85.8	75.8	79.4	$141,559	$61,880
15	Wood County FIPS 54107	60.6	48.4	76.4	35.6	73.6	74.3	77.1	$171,090	$57,810
16	Marshall County FIPS 54051	60.5	39.7	86.6	14.2	94.6	78.6	81.6	$131,150	$59,169
17	Monroe County FIPS 54063	60.5	54.3	66.6	19.1	95.1	84.3	74.2	$189,892	$56,750
18	Kanawha County FIPS 54039	60.3	51.2	81	39.4	56.6	70.4	76.7	$150,833	$60,943
19	Boone County FIPS 54005	60.1	48.6	93	24.6	-	70	75.6	$87,572	$57,093
20	Brooke County FIPS 54009	60.1	37.6	86.7	16.4	97.2	74.3	73.9	$128,107	$54,316
21	Upshur County FIPS 54097	59.7	43.3	79.4	11.4	98	79.7	80.9	$151,288	$54,338
22	Cabell County FIPS 54011	59.6	48.4	69.8	23.6	98.4	71.3	68	$166,804	$55,832
23	Mason County FIPS 54053	59.6	47.2	73.9	15.7	93.4	80.5	81.6	$158,536	$49,761
24	Wayne County FIPS 54099	59.6	47.1	84.6	25.9	-	83.4	83.2	$140,060	$58,878
25	Raleigh County FIPS 54081	59.4	46.1	76.8	31.4	70.4	78.3	80.1	$154,732	$52,150
26	Hampshire County FIPS 54027	59.3	61.7	56.9	25.3	82.7	86.2	70.8	$249,557	$63,116
27	Nicholas County FIPS 54067	59.2	37.6	73.9	40.6	72.1	86.7	74.8	$157,121	$54,639
28	Wyoming County FIPS 54109	58.7	40.1	94.8	15.5	68.4	77.1	77.2	$66,139	$48,440
29	Barbour County FIPS 54001	58.6	40.5	88.7	6.2	85.9	81.2	81.6	$119,829	$51,394
30	Jackson County FIPS 54035	58.3	31.5	71.8	36.8	85.6	81.5	83.2	$197,160	$58,845
31	Lewis County FIPS 54041	58.1	37.7	84.3	8.4	93.7	77.8	82.3	$131,893	$56,477
32	Mingo County FIPS 54059	57.9	19.8	88.5	21.5	99.3	78.6	75.5	$80,927	$38,119
33	Logan County FIPS 54045	57	39.6	90.3	13.6	66.5	77.8	81.3	$108,155	$49,723
34	Mercer County FIPS 54055	57	44.3	81.1	22.1	61.7	80.5	78	$140,205	$53,210
35	Wetzel County FIPS 54103	56.1	30.9	92.8	14.1	73.1	72.8	81.5	$115,125	$56,836
36	Fayette County FIPS 54019	55.5	43.5	85.5	7.2	66.6	78.4	79.4	$133,029	$53,194
37	Greenbrier County FIPS 54025	55.5	37.3	53.6	34.2	86.8	86.6	84.6	$206,360	$48,218
38	Gilmer County FIPS 54021	55	33.3	79.9	30	-	87	75.2	$117,899	$47,981
39	Ohio County FIPS 54069	54.9	45.1	75	67.9	7.6	69.3	64.4	$155,836	$57,094
40	Wirt County FIPS 54105	54	22	86.6	23.8	69.5	78.8	76.3	$117,804	$49,867
41	Morgan County FIPS 54065	53.8	63	55.8	11.9	65	82.8	73	$297,948	$72,179
42	Hardy County FIPS 54031	53.7	57.3	48.8	11.6	80.9	88.8	76.7	$224,627	$49,272
43	Clay County FIPS 54015	53.5	20.2	77.5	42.2	-	88.8	74.9	$121,590	$42,318
44	Randolph County FIPS 54083	53	31.4	73.9	15.9	69.6	86.8	87.6	$158,944	$52,757
45	Roane County FIPS 54087	52.9	17.9	79.3	8.6	97.8	82.9	77.8	$126,879	$45,778
46	Pleasants County FIPS 54073	52.5	36.4	82.5	15	-	78.2	81.5	$163,014	$60,932
47	Calhoun County FIPS 54013	51.9	8.3	86.7	7.1	97.2	83.4	77	$100,693	$43,980
48	Tucker County FIPS 54093	51.6	52.5	58.2	17.4	-	89.2	75.5	$206,840	$53,358
49	Ritchie County FIPS 54085	51.4	24.2	91.6	19.4	-	69.1	78.9	$112,863	$50,582
50	Summers County FIPS 54089	50.2	27.4	60.8	10	90.5	89.2	72.6	$157,266	$40,699
51	Lincoln County FIPS 54043	50.1	30.7	86.8	7.4	-	79.2	76	$106,984	$46,205
52	McDowell County FIPS 54047	50	8.7	89	3.8	98.4	64.6	71.5	$40,889	$31,559
53	Braxton County FIPS 54007	49.2	25.5	78.4	17.5	-	85.5	76	$140,881	$50,331
54	Webster County FIPS 54101	47.9	13.5	88	15.1	-	85.9	74.7	$81,680	$43,839
55	Pocahontas County FIPS 54075	43.1	27.6	52.2	18.6	-	89.2	79.6	$184,478	$42,119