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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.

An aerial view of the historic Pence Springs Hotel in Summers County, W.Va., shows the former mineral springs resort surrounded by the forests and rolling hills that made it one of Appalachia's best-known mountain retreats. The 138-acre property is now being offered for sale through Foxfire Realty.
Communities

One of America’s forgotten mineral springs resorts is for sale and awaiting its next chapter

by Bianca Bosworth

PENCE SPRINGS, W.Va. — Across the United States, historic hotels are finding new life. Grand railroad resorts have become boutique inns. Former sanatoriums have reopened as wellness retreats. Long-forgotten landmarks are being restored for a new generation of travelers seeking authentic stories rather than manufactured experiences. In the mountains of southern West Virginia, one of … Read more

A kayaker paddles through a spectacular bloom of pink water lilies at Plum Orchard Lake Wildlife Management Area near Pax, one of southern West Virginia's most peaceful paddling destinations. The 202-acre lake is known for its quiet coves, excellent fishing and abundant wildlife.
Communities

Hidden New River Gorge lake, Plum Orchard welcomes visitors after $1.2 million makeover

by Will Reedy

PAX, W.Va. — Millions of travelers visit the New River Gorge each year, but relatively few discover nearby Plum Orchard Lake, a quiet mountain retreat where anglers, paddlers and campers trade crowds for calm water and forested shorelines. Now, more than $1.2 million in improvements is making one of southern West Virginia’s hidden outdoor destinations … Read more

Tourists arrive at the historic Elkins passenger station, a gateway to the Monongahela National Forest and one of the communities participating in the Mon Forest Towns partnership. A new West Virginia University study is helping rural destinations balance tourism growth with the needs of local residents.
Communities

WVU researchers help tourism communities grow without losing what makes them special

by David Sibray

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As tourism continues to reshape rural communities across Appalachia, researchers at West Virginia University in Morgantown are helping local leaders answer a difficult question: How can towns welcome more visitors without sacrificing the qualities that make people want to live there? A new study led by West Virginia University Extension found that … Read more

A child sits alone while coping with the loss of a loved one. About one in seven West Virginia children will experience the death of a parent or sibling before age 18, highlighting the need for grief support programs such as Camp Erin West Virginia. (Photo: Getty Images)
Communities

One in seven West Virginia children lose a parent or sibling. A free camp wants to help

by Clyde Craig

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. — For many West Virginia children, grief arrives far earlier than most people imagine. About one in seven children in the Mountain State will experience the death of a parent or sibling before reaching adulthood—the second-highest rate in the nation. Behind that statistic are thousands of young people navigating profound loss while trying … Read more

A spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) adult winged.
Communities

Spotted lanternfly reaches Kanawha County as invasive pest spread across West Virginia

by Will Reedy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The invasive spotted lanternfly has been confirmed in Kanawha County, marking another step in the insect’s steady expansion across West Virginia. Officials with the W.Va. Department of Agriculture said an infestation was discovered in St. Albans near the intersection of West Main Street and Strawberry Road. The U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s Animal … Read more

Appalachian Escapes: Straight out of the ’80s: David Sibray, Nate Adams, and Rachel Adkins swap stories in a replica Pizza Hut. (Photo: Holly K. Clark)
Communities

This may look like a 1980s Pizza Hut, but it’s a vacation rental in West Virginia

by David Sibray

Fayetteville, W.Va. — What began as a search for an affordable retirement option has become one of southern West Virginia’s most imaginative tourism ventures. Nate Adams and his wife, Rachel Adkins, founded AppalachianEscapes, a growing collection of themed vacation rentals near the New River that blend art, storytelling, and Appalachian culture. The turning point came … Read more

George Washington and the Seneca leader Guyasuta overlooking the Ohio River near the mouth of Big Sandy Creek during Washington's 1770 expedition through the Ohio Valley. The two longtime acquaintances camped together before discussing the frontier lands that would later become part of West Virginia.
Communities

George Washington’s lost West Virginia: Five places you can still visit today

by Clyde Craig

RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. — Long before he became the first president of the United States, George Washington was an explorer, surveyor, soldier, and ambitious young land speculator drawn to the vast wilderness beyond the Appalachian Mountains. Much of what is now West Virginia was then the Virginian frontier—an untamed wilderness of towering forests, broad rivers, and … Read more