2026 editionSouthPop. 1,766,147Capital Charleston35th state, admitted 1863Cook PVI R+20
Is West Virginia a Good Place to Live? West Virginia Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
West Virginia ranks #44 of 50 with a composite score of 42.8 and a D grade, strongest in affordability (#6) and weakest in health (#49). The median household earns $60,798 (25% below the national median), homes typically cost $179,496 (51% below the national average), and violent crime is 242 per 100,000 (26% below the national average).
Martinsburg and the Eastern Panhandle are where West Virginia works: a Washington-orbit paycheck, a commuter train, and housing so cheap that a single adult earning $75,000 comes out at a $39,203 surplus after costs. The rest of the state asks you to bring a job: the economy ranks #47 and broadband reaches 89.4% of households.
West Virginia by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with West Virginia's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the West Virginia overview
West Virginia scores above the national average in 3 of 11 categories and ranks #11 of 14 states in the South, behind 10 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is typical home value ($179,496, 51% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is median household income ($60,798, 25% below the national median). That mix of top-10 finishes (2) and bottom-10 finishes (5) is why the composite alone undersells the tradeoffs a mover here faces.
Where does West Virginia rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. West Virginia is top 10 in 2 and bottom 10 in 5.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 26.2 | #47 of 50 | D | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 4.2% and median household income is $60,798. |
| Safety | 80.9 | #9 of 50 | A | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 241.7 violent crimes and 1,053.3 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 21.3 | #49 of 50 | F | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 72.2 years, 41.4% of adults have obesity, and 5.8% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 45.1 | #43 of 50 | D | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 261 in NAEP math and 247 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 91.2%. |
| Affordability | 86.2 | #6 of 50 | A | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $179,496 (3.0x median income); cost of living index 89.5 (100 = US); center-based infant care $9,339 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 60.1 | #23 of 50 | B | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $2,480 of debt per resident, has 66% of pensions funded, and holds a AA- credit rating. |
| Growth | 31.4 | #31 of 50 | C+ | 7% | 38.8 | Population shrank 0.07% last year; Census net domestic migration is +3.6 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 39.2 | #46 of 50 | D | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 26.5 minutes, 0.6% of workers use public transit, and 8.8% work from home. |
| Livability | 29.1 | #32 of 50 | C+ | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.59 restaurants and 0.012 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.156 bars and 0.115 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 16.7 | #33 of 50 | C+ | 6% | 29.4 | 12% of its land is public, with 2.03 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 28.8 | #41 of 50 | C | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 40, 8% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 36.7. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
West Virginia's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; West Virginia bulges toward affordability and dips at health.
How expensive is West Virginia?
West Virginia's cost of living index is 89.5 against a national baseline of 100, 11% below the national average and #9 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $179,496 (51% below the national average); buying it takes an income of about $47,071, $13,727 less than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Fairmont is cheapest (index 87) and Martinsburg priciest (94.2).
Housing market snapshot · August
Warm marketRanked #50 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #1 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household earns enough to buy the typical home.
Full West Virginia housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | West Virginia | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | +$10,984 | −$11,758 | #2 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$39,203 | +$31,418 | #2 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$44,356 | +$35,970 | #3 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in West Virginia?
West Virginia's tax mix is low property tax, with income and sales taxes in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 8.85% of income, 0.1 points above the national average (#27 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.55% of home value (#8), and combined sales tax averages 6.59% (#20).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 60.1 out of 100, #23 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is West Virginia safe?
West Virginia reports 242 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 26% below the national average and #19 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,053 per 100,000, 31% below the national average (#9 of 50). The safety score is 80.9 out of 100, #9 of 50; among tracked cities, Bridgeport has the lowest violent crime rate.
West Virginia vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in West Virginia
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport | 9,252 | 74 | 1,399 |
| Weirton | 18,647 | 83 | 331 |
| Oak Hill | 7,937 | 92 | 590 |
| St. Albans | 10,522 | 118 | 2,339 |
| Vienna | 10,518 | 174 | 3,904 |
Lowest violent crime among the 20 West Virginia cities we track. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in West Virginia?
West Virginia's unemployment rate is 4.2%, 0.3 points above the national average and #31 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $60,798, 25% below the national median. Real GDP grew +0.5% in the latest year (#46 of 50) and GDP per capita is $42,065, 35% below the national average. The population is shrinking 0.07% a year, 0.6 points below the national average. The economy score is 26.2 out of 100, #47 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in West Virginia, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $191,792 | $172,613 | Charleston |
| Lawyers | $123,618 | $111,256 | Charleston |
| Software Developers | $115,314 | $103,783 | Charleston |
| General & Operations Managers | $89,258 | $80,332 | Charleston |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $88,299 | $79,469 | Charleston |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are West Virginia's schools and healthcare?
West Virginia's education score is 45.1 out of 100, #43 of 50. Eighth graders average 261 in NAEP math (#49 of 50) and 247 in reading (#48 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 91.2%, 5.6 points above the national average (#1 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling | 98% | 12.6 | $16,079 |
| Clarksburg | 98% | 11.8 | $14,396 |
| Bridgeport | 98% | 16.4 | $14,396 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
West Virginia is #49 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 72.2 years, 4.7 years below the national average. 41.4% of adults have obesity (#50 of 50) and 5.8% of residents have no health insurance (#15 of 50). The health score is 21.3 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to West Virginia, and who is leaving?
West Virginia's flows are close to even: 20,894 households moved in and 20,015 moved out in the latest IRS release, a net of +879, or +0.5 per 1,000 residents (#22 of 50), too small to call a direction. Arriving households report an average income of $58,484 against $60,514 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +7.4K people (42.5K in, 35.1K out, ±7.2K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1Virginia3,792 · $67,489
- 2Ohio2,705 · $45,252
- 3Maryland2,549 · $62,922
- 4Pennsylvania1,981 · $59,687
- 5Florida1,581 · $53,837
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1Ohio3,157 · $50,198
- 2Virginia2,725 · $56,777
- 3Pennsylvania1,931 · $58,886
- 4Maryland1,608 · $53,808
- 5Florida1,562 · $90,007
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in West Virginia?
By composite score, the best of the 20 West Virginia cities we track are Bridgeport (62.8), Cheat Lake (62.2), and Teays Valley (57.8). Fairmont is the cheapest (cost index 87), Cheat Lake the richest ($117,014), and Martinsburg the fastest growing (+0.9% a year). City ranks are among the 20 West Virginia cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in West Virginia
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Bridgeport | 74 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Fairmont | cost of living index 87 |
| Most walkable | Clarksburg | walkability 10.1 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Clarksburg | median AQI 33 (county) |
| Best schools | Wheeling | 98% graduation rate |
| Richest | Cheat Lake | $117,014 |
Among the 20 West Virginia cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of West Virginia
Martinsburg and the Jefferson County towns are Washington exurbs: the state's fastest growth and highest prices, commuter rail, and a mix of federal workers and people priced out of Loudoun.
The university, the FBI center and gas money make this the steadiest economy in West Virginia; Bridgeport and Cheat Lake are its expensive suburbs.
Charleston is state government and chemicals, Huntington is Marshall University and the hospital; both are shrinking, cheap, and where most of the state's crime shows up.
Wheeling, Weirton and Moundsville are old steel towns tied to Pittsburgh and Ohio; Parkersburg and Vienna sit downriver with the lowest costs in the state.
All 20 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgeport | B+ | 62.8 | 9,252 | $100,022 | 74 | 87 |
| 2 | Cheat Lake | B+ | 62.2 | 10,902 | $117,014 | — | 93.3 |
| 3 | Teays Valley | B | 57.8 | 14,151 | $108,741 | — | 88.4 |
| 4 | Morgantown | C+ | 52.8 | 30,236 | $44,727 | 239 | 93.3 |
| 5 | Weirton | C | 50.4 | 18,647 | $59,575 | 83 | 89 |
| 6 | Charleston | D | 48.6 | 47,421 | $65,812 | 596 | 88.7 |
| 7 | Fairmont | D | 48.4 | 18,221 | $63,032 | 395 | 87 |
| 8 | Parkersburg | D | 47.8 | 29,240 | $49,025 | 269 | 87.1 |
| 9 | Vienna | D | 47.8 | 10,518 | $60,388 | 174 | 87.1 |
| 10 | Martinsburg | D | 47.6 | 18,904 | $59,555 | 221 | 94.2 |
| 11 | Wheeling | D | 47.0 | 26,350 | $48,590 | 816 | 88.3 |
| 12 | St. Albans | D | 47.0 | 10,522 | $53,972 | 118 | 88.7 |
| 13 | Moundsville | D | 46.3 | 7,869 | $49,048 | 263 | 88.3 |
| 14 | Clarksburg | D | 46.1 | 15,549 | $47,386 | 278 | 87 |
| 15 | Cross Lanes | D | 45.1 | 9,671 | $63,537 | — | 88.7 |
| 16 | Bluefield | D | 44.7 | 9,387 | $49,375 | 365 | 87 |
| 17 | Oak Hill | D | 44.7 | 7,937 | $52,466 | 92 | 88.4 |
| 18 | Huntington | D | 44.2 | 45,787 | $45,100 | 670 | 88.4 |
| 19 | South Charleston | F | 42.1 | 13,457 | $63,884 | 446 | 88.7 |
| 20 | Beckley | F | 34.1 | 16,818 | $45,826 | 716 | 88.4 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 West Virginia cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in West Virginia for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgeport | 64.5 | 67.5 | 91.9 | 79.6 |
| 2 | Cheat Lake | 61.3 | — | — | 72.5 |
| 3 | Weirton | 61.2 | 72.9 | 97.9 | 89.5 |
| 4 | Morgantown | 60.1 | 63.9 | 79.4 | 79.3 |
| 5 | Moundsville | 59.9 | 84.3 | 72.3 | 89.5 |
Who is West Virginia best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best West Virginia cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does West Virginia compare with its neighbors?
West Virginia ranks #44. Among its bordering states, Virginia ranks highest (#15) and Kentucky lowest (#41). Kentucky is the most similar on the composite score and Virginia the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | #44 | 42.8 | $60,798 | $179,496 | 89.5 | 242 | 8.85% | |
| Virginia | #15 | 67.7 | $92,090 | $414,662 | 101.1 | 206 | 8.86% | Compare → |
| Pennsylvania | #25 | 56.9 | $77,545 | $290,401 | 97.6 | 227 | 8.58% | Compare → |
| Maryland | #31 | 53.6 | $102,905 | $428,308 | 105 | 358 | 10.04% | Compare → |
| Ohio | #33 | 52.1 | $72,212 | $248,803 | 92.8 | 276 | 9.36% | Compare → |
| Kentucky | #41 | 44.8 | $64,526 | $232,577 | 90.2 | 212 | 8.93% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 20 West Virginia city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the West Virginia numbers say when read together.
Affordability is West Virginia's strongest suit
West Virginia is a #44 state overall but #6 of 50 for affordability, 38 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 86.2 against a national average of 65.2. Safety (#9) is next. Affordability carries 10% of the composite.
Health is where West Virginia falls furthest behind
West Virginia ranks #49 of 50 for health, 5 places below its overall #44, with a score of 21.3 against a national average of 54.4. At 12% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Typical home value is 51% below the national average
West Virginia's typical home value is $179,496, 51% below the national average of $368,697, #1 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The largest gap in the other direction is median household income: $60,798, 25% below the national median. Source: Zillow Research ZHVI, latest release.
Migration is a wash
Net +879 households on 40,909 moves is too small a margin to call a direction; West Virginia ranks #22 of 50 on net flow per 1,000 residents. The households arriving report $2,030 less in average income than those leaving ($58,484 against $60,514), so the state is trading down on income even as the headcount grows. The largest source is Virginia; the largest destination is Ohio.
A middle income stretches further here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $10,984 surplus after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#2 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $39,203 surplus; a retiree couple at a $44,356 surplus. Infant childcare runs $9,339 a year, 40% below the national average.
Every bordering state outranks West Virginia
All 5 of West Virginia's bordering states rank above its #44; the closest match on the composite is Kentucky. Median income among them runs from $64,526 in Kentucky to $102,905 in Maryland; West Virginia is at $60,798.
Frequently asked questions about living in West Virginia
Is West Virginia a good place to live?
West Virginia ranks #44 of 50 with a D grade, #11 of 14 in the South. It is top 10 in affordability and safety and bottom 10 in environment, education, transportation, economy, and health. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 3 of 6 (home prices, cost of living, and violent crime) and trails on income, unemployment, and tax burden. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does West Virginia rank among US states?
West Virginia ranks #44 of 50 overall with a composite score of 42.8 (grade D), and #11 of 14 states in the South. Its best category rank is #6 (affordability) and its worst #49 (health). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so D means rank 43–48.
Is it expensive to live in West Virginia?
At #9 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), West Virginia is 11% below the national average: its index is 89.5 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $179,496 (51% below the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $47,071 against a median household income of $60,798. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $10,984 surplus after all costs, #2 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does West Virginia have a state income tax?
Yes. West Virginia's top state income tax rate is 4.82% (#21 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 8.85% of income, 0.1 points above the national average. Property tax is 0.55% of home value and combined sales tax 6.59%.
What is the crime rate in West Virginia?
West Virginia reports 242 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 26% below the national average and #19 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,053 property crimes per 100,000, 31% below the national average (#9). Its safety score is 80.9 out of 100, #9 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does West Virginia have good schools?
West Virginia is #43 of 50 for education (score 45.1 out of 100). Its public school students average 261 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#49) and 247 in eighth-grade reading (#48), and the high school graduation rate is 91.2%, 5.6 points above the national average (#1). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Wheeling has the highest graduation rate at 98%.
Is West Virginia gaining or losing people?
Neither, to any meaningful degree: West Virginia netted +879 households in the latest IRS release on 20,894 arrivals and 20,015 departures, +0.5 per 1,000 residents (#22 of 50), a flow too small to call a direction. The largest source of arrivals is Virginia (3,792 households) and the most common destination is Ohio (3,157). Arriving households report an average income of $58,484 against $60,514 for those leaving, so movers out earn more than movers in. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is West Virginia a red or blue state?
West Virginia is a solidly red state: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is R+20, meaning it votes about 20 points more Republican than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
What are the downsides of living in West Virginia?
Jobs, health and distance. The economy ranks #47, near the bottom, with GDP per capita 35% below the national average. Life expectancy is 72.2 years. Roads wind, a commute averages 26.5 minutes despite tiny towns, and transportation ranks #46. Flooding is the hazard: creeks in narrow hollows rise fast, and FEMA's risk index of 36.7 is 24% above the national average. Residents will tell you the house price is the compensation.
Is West Virginia good for remote workers?
Only in the right county. A university-run relocation program, Ascend, pays remote workers to move here, and Morgantown, Bridgeport and the Eastern Panhandle have real fiber. But 89.4% of households have broadband, #49 nationally, and outside the towns satellite is often the only option. The state ranks #32 for remote workers; if your address tests well, a single adult at $75,000 comes out at a $39,203 surplus.
Is West Virginia a good place to retire?
Cheap, yes; convenient, no, and #38 for retirees. Social Security is untaxed, the homestead exemption cuts the property bill for owners over sixty-five, and a retiree couple at $75,000 comes out at a $44,356 surplus, $8,386 above the national median. Against that: the health rank is #49, rural hospitals are thinning, and winter hill-road driving is a limit. Morgantown, with its university hospital, and the Eastern Panhandle are the compromises.
What is it like living in West Virginia?
Small towns, steep hills, and people who know your car. Nearly every town sits in a river valley with one road. The pace is slow, the state parks and the New River Gorge are the weekend, and Mountaineer football is the religion. Newcomers with a job and four-wheel drive settle in fast; the ones who expect a coffee shop on every corner do not.
Is West Virginia cheaper than Virginia?
Much, and that gap is the Eastern Panhandle story. The cost index is 89.5, 11% below the national average, and property tax at 0.55% is lower too, with the vehicle tax credited back, unlike Virginia's car tax. What Virginia has is the jobs, the hospitals and the schools, which is why the flow runs both ways and Martinsburg fills with people who work in Loudoun.
All the numbers
Every metric behind West Virginia's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.