Communities in West Virginia offer residents a welcoming atmosphere, affordable cost of living, and a strong sense of connection to nature and neighbors alike. From charming small towns to vibrant cities like Charleston and Morgantown, West Virginia communities provide friendly neighborhoods, excellent schools, and access to outdoor recreation right at your doorstep. Residents enjoy a slower pace of life, surrounded by the state’s beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests, as well as rich local culture, historic sites, and community events that bring people together.
With safe streets, local businesses, and a true spirit of Appalachian hospitality, living in West Virginia communities means enjoying a high quality of life and a supportive, tight-knit environment where everyone feels at home. Be sure to visit our Communities Travel Guide for information about communities in West Virginia.
COVEL, W.Va. — From high among the peaks of Great Flat Top Mountain in southern West Virginia, there descends a stream that bears a unique name—Gooney Otter Creek. But what is a “gooney otter?” The strange name appears nowhere else in the world, but a renowned wildlife biologist may have the answer. Jim Reed, now … Read more
PAX, W.Va. — While the U.S. and Canada turn to the groundhog on February 2 for an end-of-winter forecast, a new online tool created in West Virginia is poised for a stand-off with the scrappy rodent. Created by West Virginia developer Jonathan Moore, the “Early Spring Predictor” uses real-time weather data and historical temperature trends … Read more
ELKINS, W.Va. — The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is adding the Middleway Historic District in Jefferson County to the West Virginia Endangered Properties List. The measure highlights the risks that could result from the construction and operation of the proposed Mountain Pure water bottling facility by Sidewinder Enterprises. The proposed development by Sidewinder is … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University is launching a new program that will provide funding to cover the costs of tuition and university fees for qualifying incoming and current West Virginia students beginning in fall 2025 fall. The program is open to resident undergraduate students across the WVU system with a family adjusted gross income of … Read more
ELKINS, W.Va. — Four theaters in West Virginia have been added to the state’s historic theater trail, established in 2010 to boost cultural and economic growth in Mountain State downtowns and rural areas. The Elk Theater in Sutton, the Granada Theater in Bluefield, the Robinson Grand in Clarksburg, and the eponymous Shepherdstown Opera House were … Read more
HINTON, W.Va. — Beneath the surface of clean-flowing streams in West Virginia, a multitude of strange creatures lurk, but none is perhaps more shocking to encounter than the hellbender. Also known as the devil dog, the mud devil, and the Allegheny alligator, its names testify to the strangeness of what turns out to be an … Read more
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Satellite-based broadband is allowing telecommuters to settle in some of the most remote areas in West Virginia, a development that’s changing the chiefly rural state at the center of the eastern U.S. “What’s happening now in West Virginia is revolutionary—yes, revolutionary,” says David Sibray, the publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine and … Read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. – An initiative designed to attract economic investment to historic buildings and districts in rural communities is being introduced to Congress by senators Mark Warner (D) of Virginia and Shelley Moore Capito (R) of West Virginia. The Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act will significantly reduce financial burdens for rural homeowners and developers … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has launched a ruffed grouse and wildlife restoration program, enhancing habitat by strategically planting soft mast-producing trees and shrubs on recently harvested private timberlands. This innovative program is designed to provide vital food sources for various wildlife species, including ruffed grouse, white-tailed deer, and songbirds, while also benefiting landowners and local … Read more
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va.— The scenic Greenbrier Valley in southern West Virginia was among the early large-scale resort communities in the U.S. and featured a state-supported road system designed to lead travelers from resort to resort. Though colonial farmers were the region’s first inhabitants in the 1700s, by the early 1800s, the area had become … Read more
