Best Life Index › States › West Virginia › Cities › Parkersburg

West Virginia city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Parkersburg?

What it costs to live in Parkersburg, and how it compares with other West Virginia cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

53

4th best value in West Virginia

How much you get for what you pay, versus other West Virginia cities.

Overall livability

38

7th overall in West Virginia

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Parkersburg is home to about 29,910 people. A typical home runs $94,300 and a household earns around $39,000, a price-to-income ratio of 2.4. Among West Virginia's cities, it ranks 4th for value and 7th overall.

Parkersburg at a glance

Median home price

$94,300

3rd in WV of 10

Median rent

$704/mo

Median household income

$39,000

Home price to income

2.4x

Unemployment

7.1%

7th in WV of 10

School rating

2/10

7th in WV of 10

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in WV of 10

Walk score

2/100

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‹ See all top West Virginia cities ranked  ยท  West Virginia state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within West Virginia only. Updated 2026.