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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.

A farmer plants in a West Virginia garden
Communities

W.Va. expands branding to include agricultural supporters

by David Sibray

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With supply-chain faults apparent nationally, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture is working to bolster agricultural products by expanding the “West Virginia Grown” branding program. According to Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt, the department has launched a West Virginia Grown partner program to incorporate supporters of local agricultural products. The branding program … Read more

Students are finding West Virginia colleges and universities ideal when outdoor recreation is a concern.
Communities

Concord University promoting proximity to state, national parks

by Lindsey Byers

ATHENS, W.Va. — Three of West Virginia’s best-loved state and national parks are a drive of fewer than 15 minutes from Concord University, which is maximizing that advantage to the benefit of students. Officials are working with nearby Pipestem Resort State Park to provide students discounted opportunities for zip-lining, water recreation, and other outdoor adventures, … Read more

Ramps in West Virginia
Communities

Commercial ramp harvest prohibited in Monongahela National Forest

by David Sibray

Digging and eating ramps in the spring is a traditional activity throughout West Virginia, notably within the Monongahela National Forest in its eastern mountains. While collecting ramps for personal use is permitted in the forest within established limits, the commercial harvest of ramps—including the re-sale of ramps collected for personal use—is prohibited, according to Kelley … Read more

Spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) welcome spring to West Virginia with their early March song.
Communities

Ignore groundhogs: look to frogs to announce spring

by David Sibray

BEAVER, W.Va. — Say what you will about groundhogs, their ability to predict the arrival of spring is nowhere near as accurate as that of frogs: like clockwork, spring peepers will herald the return of light and warmth in central Appalachia in late February and early March. Triggered by rising temperatures, the tiny frogs (Pseudacris … Read more

French Creek Freddie, a favorite resident of the W.Va. Wildlife Center, will offer his advice on the weather this weekend.
Communities

French Creek Freddie predicts early spring for West Virginia

by David Sibray

FRENCH CREEK, W.Va. — Get ready for an early spring, West Virginia! French Creek Freddie called for warmer temperatures during his annual Groundhog Day celebration at the West Virginia State Wildlife Center in Upshur County. Trevor Moore, a wildlife biologist for the center, says he’d bank on Freddie, whose predictions are right half the time. “When … Read more

Blueberry bushes thrive in a West Virginia nursery
Communities

Nursery and landscape industry growing in West Virginia

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State and federal economic statistics show that the nursery and landscape industry and related employment has grown in West Virginia and will continue to expand through 2026, according to Julie Robinson, executive director of the West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association. Robinson said the association’s workforce development and scholarship support in all … Read more

The new West Virginia Historic Preservation Center will be located in the historic high school building at Arthurdale, West Virginia.
Communities

Alliance to establish W.Va. state historic preservation center

by Clyde Craig

ARTHURDALE, W.Va. — The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, in cooperation with Arthurdale Heritage Inc., has taken a next step in establishing a historic preservation center in this historic community in northern West Virginia. The cooperative is seeking qualified professionals and architecture firms to create a master plan for the center, an adaptive reuse of … Read more

Maple syrup production is growing in West Virginia.
Communities

Maple Syrup Days on tap at six Pocahontas County farms

by David Sibray

MARLINTON, W.Va. — Syrup production is thriving in Pocahontas County, where organizers of Maple Days events are welcoming new producers and expecting more attendees, thanks partly to a renewed interest in Appalachian customs. Six maple producers are opening their doors to public tours in February and March 2023 as the number of maple syrup producers … Read more

A hellbender gazes back at the camera from an aquarium exhibit.
Communities

W.Va. launches citizen science survey of hellbenders, mudpuppies

by David Sibray

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — To learn more about the distribution of odd-looking hellbenders and mudpuppies, the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources has launched a citizen science project to track sightings of these important but declining salamanders around the state. The project, which will take two years to complete, gives anglers, science enthusiasts and public members … Read more