West Virginia
R+36 · Moderate tax burden · COL index 82
5.12%
Income Tax
278
Violent Crime / 100K
71.9
Life Expectancy
$155K
Median Home
$850
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Get notified when West Virginia tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Taxes
▾
Income Tax
Significant cuts pending legislation
Property Tax
~$883/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Below national avg (~2,100)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Bottom tier
Life Expectancy
Well below national avg
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
Bottom 10 nationally
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Below national avg
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Among the worst roads in the US
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Regional airport — connections via hub
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Mostly rural
Restaurant Density
Limited dining options
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
2.2/100K residents — Growing
Craft Distilleries
Live Music
Mountain State Music Festival; Appalachian heritage bluegrass; Smooth Ambler Spirits nationally acclaimed
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Below national avg
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
Near-total ban; trigger law took effect after Dobbs
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
5 casino resorts. One of the first states to offer online casino gambling (2019). Sports betting pioneer.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
No state sex ed mandate
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
Smooth Ambler country (remote river areas) · WV Naturists
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Hunting & Outdoors
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Dense hardwood forest with strong whitetail and black bear populations. 1.7 million acres of national forest. Bears can be taken during archery season.
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources — Official Season Dates ↗Finding nearby venues...
From r/hunting
West Virginia : r/Hunting
Rifle is only 2 weeks, muzzleloader is a week and after rifle, they also start on Mondays instead of Saturdays. They charge more for extra d...
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Where would you live? : r/Hunting
Long deer season Oct 15 to Feb 10 three bucks for the season and one doe per day everyday. Lots of small game and plenty of deer in The ......
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Hardest hunting in the United States
west elk hunting, southern West Virginia. The woods are fog, so you can't see more than 40 yards. So sure elk hunting breaks your body. Alpi...
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Wet and windy in West Virginia : r/Hunting
WV gun season is in the books with the weather taking control. Little movement from the deer as they largely stayed bedded for the duration ...
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Why we recommend them
If you're hunting elk in Wyoming, whitetail in Kansas, or black bear in West Virginia — Ravin builds the most accurate crossbows on the planet. Rifle-like precision at 500 FPS. We're proud to partner with them.
Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+0.4% job growth · 4.3% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Below avg (-0.20 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Consumer fireworks broadly legal
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 42°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Armadillo Leprosy Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
8.6% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
Disabled vet property tax exemption
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore West Virginia counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in West Virginia
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
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Trending in West Virginia
West Virginia Changes Prior Authorization Law After Man's Treatment Delay and Death - AJMC
AJMC · Jun 8
Homelessness in WV increased in 2025, federal estimates show - West Virginia Watch
West Virginia Watch · Jun 8
Governor Morrisey reveals $3.3M for West Virginia water infrastructure projects - WOWK 13 News
WOWK 13 News · Jun 8
West Virginia records historic low in roadway fatalities for 2024 - My Buckhannon
My Buckhannon · Jun 10
Morrisey announces $3.3M for water infrastructure in West Virginia, Webster County awarded $1M - WDTV 5
WDTV 5 · Jun 8
What Residents Say
West Virginia has the nation's lowest percentage of ...
West Virginia has the nation's lowest percentage of household income that goes to housing costs, just 15.23%....
reddit.com ↗
Why West Virginia and not Southern Ohio? : r/WestVirginia
WV has personal property tax and Ohio does not. If you live on the WV, you must pay taxes on your car, 4 wheeler, any kind of car trailer, etc....
reddit.com ↗
Would it make sense to move to WV? : r/WestVirginia
Backstory: my wife and I have been married for 3 months and don’t want to rent for the rest of our lives, but the housing market here in FL is ridiculous ......
reddit.com ↗
Pros of W. VA v VA or MD or PA? : r/WestVirginia
Hi all. We're a military family coming back to the JSA after a long time away from the states. We have to settle as a civilian about an hour-90 min from ......
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Is it worth it to go home to West Virginia right now?
WV is beautiful. lowest cost of living and taxes. and great deal of jobs are remote now. so i don't see why more people don't move here :)....
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What would it take for you to stay in WV? : r/WestVirginia
We all know that WV is horrible for opportunities. My question is for all Gen X, Gen Z, and Millennial's looking to bounce from WV. Serious responses please. .....
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What's it like living in West Virginia? : r/WestVirginia
Ive always wanted to visit and have debated moving there. It looks beautiful, it sounds like a cost effective state to live in and im a bluegrass/country ......
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Considering a move to West Virginia. : r/WestVirginia
Property is more affordable but other costs of living are not as comparatively low here in WV (ie. food, insurances, fuels). Also even in the ......
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West Virginia's New Remote Worker Program Will Pay You ...
West Virginia's New Remote Worker Program Will Pay You $12,000 to Move There. Other. With some of the requests lately about finding new/cheap ......
reddit.com ↗
How's living in this part of northern West Virginia?
I know Wheeling, WV is here, but is this just like any other part of the Ohio Valley or is there something that makes this place special?...
reddit.com ↗
Stay Current
Get notified when West Virginia tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.