What it costs to live here, and how good a place it is to live, in plain numbers.
Best place to live rank
#47
47th out of 50 states overall.
Among the worst in the country for overall quality of life.
How we rank states ›Cost to live here
#16
16th cheapest state, about 11% below average.
To live the way $75,000 affords in an average state, you would need about $66,600 here.
How we measure cost ›West Virginia ranks 47th of 50 states for overall quality of life and 16th for affordability. It does best on cost, safety, and green space, and struggles most with education, dog friendly, and economy. A typical household earns about $58,900 a year, and the cost of living runs about 11% below average.
Our Best Life Rank scores every state on the things that shape daily life, from cost and climate to schools and safety. Here is how West Virginia scores on each, best to worst.
Each factor is ranked 1 (best) to 50 (worst) across all states. Green is strong, yellow is middling, red is weak.
Typical household income
$58,900
49th highest
Typical home price
$249,000
42nd highest
Overall cost of living
11% below average
16th cheapest
Total taxes on a typical household
About 7%
24th highest income tax
Typical commute
About 26 min
one way
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