West Virginia earns an average composite score of 62.0, placing it significantly higher than the national median of 50.0. Across its 55 counties, the state offers a competitive livability profile that balances economic challenges with extreme affordability.

Low Taxes and Affordability Lead the Way

The state excels in fiscal metrics, securing an impressive tax score of 84.7 and a cost-of-living score of 77.2. These high marks reflect an environment where residents retain more of their income compared to more expensive coastal or urban states.

Economic and Health Outcomes Present Hurdles

A low income score of 27.4 and a health score of 37.1 represent the state's primary challenges. While the cost of living remains low, these socio-economic factors drag down the overall composite rating and limit the state's national standing.

Pendleton and Pleasants Lead the Mountain State

Pendleton County takes the top spot with a composite score of 77.1, driven by a near-perfect tax score of 96.9. Pleasants County (76.0) and Gilmer County (73.7) also rank highly, offering the best balance of low costs and manageable risk profiles in the state.

A Haven for Budget-Conscious Remote Workers

West Virginia is an ideal destination for retirees or remote professionals who prioritize low taxes and housing costs over local job market strength. This state rewards those with stable external income who seek a high quality of life for a fraction of the national price.

All County Rankings in West Virginia

Search, sort, and filter all 55 ranked counties

Showing 1–25 of 55 counties

Rank
1	Pendleton County	77.1	96.9	85.8	44.3	84.7	38.2	88.5	69.9	86	61.2	38.4	55.1
2	Pleasants County	76	76.4	86.2	42.1	91.5	51.6	77.5	79.8	86	59.9		72.2
3	Gilmer County	73.7	85.1	86	16.7	83.1	39.5	82.4	88.6	86	62.9	61.8	72.5
4	Monroe County	73	88.2	88.6	24	85.3	33.8	82.7	71.7	50.7	63.5	45.3	67.5
5	Brooke County	70.7	81.6	91.2	18.8	77.3	48.5	78.7	45.8	34.4	61.3		83
6	Tucker County	70.7	96.1	87.5	21.7	87.6	45.9	52	87.5	4.8	61.1		45.3
7	Doddridge County	70.6	88.9	77.6	42.6	59.2	50.5	96.5	85.6	14.6	62.4	70.7	74.2
8	Grant County	70.2	97.1	88.7	43.7	89.9	35.9	47.1	66.8	33.6	55		55.7
9	Clay County	69.9	96.5	97.7	5.1	69.8	27.1	78	77.7	28	66.5	48.8	59.4
10	Tyler County	69.8	79.1	91.7	33.7	67.7	53.2	78.5	64.4	7.8	61		75.9
11	Webster County	69.7	94.4	93.1	4.3	71.6	36.6	80.8	64.7	7.9	64.8	35.6	48.9
12	Braxton County	68.6	90.6	98.6	6.6	64.4	33.2	73.9	63.9	55	59.5	51	65
13	Wirt County	68.2	82.5	96	24.5	78.1	32.7	46.4	91	86	56		82.5
14	Mason County	68	82.3	90.7	21.6	77.6	36.4	69.8	42.6	53.1	57.8		80.6
15	Calhoun County	67.9	94	99.7	3.7	65.3	28.7	73.7	83.2	5.7	57.2		72.3
16	Taylor County	67.8	83.3	86.2	29.8	84.3	36.6	48.8	76.5	60.6	68		74.7
17	Roane County	67.5	90.9	97.5	7.5	70	26.6	76	55	21	60.4		74.9
18	Hancock County	67	71.1	78.2	42	93.7	39.1	58.4	59.3	33.7	61.3		83
19	Ohio County	66.6	75.7	64	32.5	79.9	54	86.1	30.2	24.9	63.9		86.5
20	Wetzel County	66.6	69.1	90.8	21.4	73.6	36.1	87.3	43.1	12.1	56.4	44.1	57.7
21	Putnam County	65	77	36.6	81.4	79.4	64.8	73.3	26	86	61.7	55.3	72.6
22	Hampshire County	64.1	95.8	80	40	78.9	38.2	35.8	62	25	52.6		62.1
23	Nicholas County	63.8	87.6	91.4	13.1	56.8	34.3	70.9	41.8	28.7	67.2		69.5
24	Preston County	63.8	88.5	77.8	43.4	79.1	36.3	42.2	66.2	22.1	63.7	38.4	48.6
25	Upshur County	63.7	91.7	65.8	18.2	72.2	40.5	57	55.2	86	67.9	46.2	63.2

Pendleton County

96.985.844.384.738.288.569.98661.238.455.1N/A

77.1

Pleasants County

76.486.242.191.551.677.579.88659.9N/A72.2N/A

Gilmer County

85.18616.783.139.582.488.68662.961.872.5N/A

73.7

Monroe County

88.288.62485.333.882.771.750.763.545.367.5N/A

Brooke County

81.691.218.877.348.578.745.834.461.3N/A83N/A

70.7

Tucker County

96.187.521.787.645.95287.54.861.1N/A45.3N/A

70.7

Doddridge County

88.977.642.659.250.596.585.614.662.470.774.2N/A

70.6

Grant County

97.188.743.789.935.947.166.833.655N/A55.7N/A

70.2

Clay County

96.597.75.169.827.17877.72866.548.859.4N/A

69.9

Tyler County

79.191.733.767.753.278.564.47.861N/A75.9N/A

69.8

Webster County

94.493.14.371.636.680.864.77.964.835.648.9N/A

69.7

Braxton County

90.698.66.664.433.273.963.95559.55165N/A

68.6

Wirt County

82.59624.578.132.746.4918656N/A82.5N/A

68.2

Mason County

82.390.721.677.636.469.842.653.157.8N/A80.6N/A

Calhoun County

9499.73.765.328.773.783.25.757.2N/A72.3N/A

67.9

Taylor County

83.386.229.884.336.648.876.560.668N/A74.7N/A

67.8

Roane County

90.997.57.57026.676552160.4N/A74.9N/A

67.5

Hancock County

71.178.24293.739.158.459.333.761.3N/A83N/A

Ohio County

75.76432.579.95486.130.224.963.9N/A86.5N/A

66.6

Wetzel County

69.190.821.473.636.187.343.112.156.444.157.7N/A

66.6

Putnam County

7736.681.479.464.873.3268661.755.372.6N/A

Hampshire County

95.8804078.938.235.8622552.6N/A62.1N/A

64.1

Nicholas County

87.691.413.156.834.370.941.828.767.2N/A69.5N/A

63.8

Preston County

88.577.843.479.136.342.266.222.163.738.448.6N/A

63.8

Upshur County

91.765.818.272.240.55755.28667.946.263.2N/A

63.7

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Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in West Virginia

Common questions about county rankings and scores in West Virginia.

What is the best county in West Virginia?

Pendleton County is the top-ranked county in West Virginia with a CountyScore of 77.1/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.

How many counties are ranked in West Virginia?

West Virginia has 55 counties in total. Of those, 55 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.

What factors determine a county's score?

Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.

What is the average county score in West Virginia?

The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in West Virginia is 62/100. The national average is 50/100, so West Virginia counties score 12 points above the national average.

How does West Virginia compare to other states?

West Virginia's average county score of 62/100 is 12 points above the national average of 50/100. You can compare West Virginia counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.

Explore County Data by Category

Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in West Virginia.

TaxByCountyEffective property tax rate vs national benchmarks CostByCountyMedian rent, home values, and housing affordability IncomeByCountyMedian household income and per capita earnings CrimeByCountyViolent and property crime rates per 100K residents HealthByCountyLife expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access SchoolsByCountyGraduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment RiskByCountyFEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more WaterByCountyEPA drinking water health violations and safety grades WeatherByCountyAverage temperatures, precipitation, and extreme weather events SoilByCountySoil composition, pH, drainage, and organic matter content LawnByCountyLawn difficulty score based on climate, soil, and grass suitability MarketsByCountyLocal market density, SNAP/EBT acceptance, and product variety

Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.

Best Counties in West Virginia — 2026 Rankings

Top Counties in West Virginia

Understanding County Scores in West Virginia

West Virginia Outperforms the National Median