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.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Trying to predict the brilliance of West Virginia’s fall foliage weeks in advance may be harder than it looks, according to a forest scientist who says even seemingly unfavorable summers can produce spectacular autumn color. Drought, heat, rainfall, and the condition of leaves entering autumn all matter. So do sunny days, cool … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After years of trying to convince travelers to discover West Virginia, the state’s new tourism secretary says the next challenge is giving them reasons to return. Kayla Kessinger, the incoming secretary of the W.Va. Department of Tourism, used Monday’s appearance at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism to outline priorities focused on repeat … Read more
HOLDEN, W.Va. — More than 2,000 people crowded onto a mountainside in southern West Virginia on Sept. 23, 1938, to watch lumbermen pull a nine-foot saw through one of the largest white oaks ever documented in America. The Mingo Oak, as it was known, was already dead. What followed was not merely a logging operation … Read more
BECKLEY, W.Va. — A new scholarship program at West Virginia University Institute of Technology will cover remaining tuition, housing, and meal costs for high-achieving students from 13 southern West Virginia counties, potentially making a four-year education possible for students who might otherwise rule it out because of cost. Beginning in fall 2027, the Golden Scholars program will accept … Read more
DAVIS, W.Va. — In West Virginia, traveling uphill can sometimes feel like traveling north. The state’s 10 highest incorporated communities all stand more than 2,400 feet above sea level, high enough that elevation can help shape not only their summers, but the rhythm of the seasons around them. In the high country near Davis, summers … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has been ranked the second-most naturally beautiful state in America in a national analysis comparing the forests, rivers, waterfalls, and mountains of all 50 states. New Hampshire finished first, followed by West Virginia and Virginia. West Virginia also ranked ahead of Hawaii, Washington, and North Carolina—states widely associated with scenic tourism. … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A new $2.6 million initiative is expected to help 15,000 West Virginia middle- and high-school students learn how to develop ideas, solve real-world problems and potentially turn those ideas into businesses. West Virginia University officials announced Monday that the three-year effort will bring teachers, business experts, and community partners together to give … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University will automatically admit qualifying high school seniors in two West Virginia counties under a new program that eliminates the traditional college application and application fee. This year, the offer is limited to seniors in Kanawha and Monongalia counties with at least a 3.8 cumulative grade-point average who meet the … Read more
PRINCE, W.Va. — A sweeping new proposal would link communities throughout the New River Gorge region through arts, recreation, preservation, and business development, aiming to keep more of the economic benefits the gorge and its national park generate within surrounding communities. Called the “New River Gorge Artisan Corridor,” the proposal would extend through communities from … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia regulators are inviting the public to comment this month on rules proposed to govern how electric utilities maintain and use generating plants under a law approved by the Legislature in 2025. The Public Service Commission of West Virginia publicized the Sept. 28 hearing Tuesday as part of its implementation of … Read more
