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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 forester manages growth in a West Virginia woodland.
Communities

Glenville creates forestry, land surveying scholarships

by Clyde Craig

The Glenville State College Department of Land Resources has announced new scholarships honoring two professors who pioneered the forest technology and land-surveying technology majors within the natural resource management program. The first scholarship, named after Professor Emeritus Ed Grafton, will be available to students majoring in forest technology. The second honors Professor Emeritus Rick Sypolt … Read more

Dairy cattle graze in a meadow.
Communities

WVDA to hold dairy industry meetings in November

by Clyde Craig

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is inviting milk producers and the public to discuss the state of the dairy industry in West Virginia and will host five meetings in November to gather input, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. “The dairy industry is struggling across the country, just as it is here in … Read more

An acidic stream in West Virginia is revealed by yellow-tinged rocks.
Communities

WVU awarded $5 million to build acid mine drainage facility

by Clyde Craig

The West Virginia Water Research Institute at West Virginia University has been awarded $5 million to scale-up its Rare-Earth Recovery Project, which will include a new facility at an acid mine drainage treatment plant near Mount Storm. Provided by the U.S. Department of Energy with the full support of West Virginia’s congressional delegates, the funding … Read more

The Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility
Communities

WVU, NASA partnership soars with $25 million contract

by Clyde Craig

Students at West Virginia University will help ensure space travel is safe for future explorers thanks to the continuation of a long-standing partnership with NASA announced this week. NASA approved a contract of up to $24.9 million for support services at the agency’s Katherine Johnson Independent Verification & Validation facility in Fairmont, West Virginia. The … Read more

Officials with the W.Va. Department of Agriculture warn that 18.7 percent of the Mountain State as of October 3, 2019, is under severe drought status.
Communities

18 percent of West Virginia under severe drought status

by Clyde Craig

Officials with the W.Va. Department of Agriculture warn that 18.7 percent of the Mountain State as of October 3, 2019, is under severe drought status. The severity is worst in the southern and southwestern counties, notably in Mingo, Mercer, Monroe, Summers, and Kanawha and adjacent areas. These areas may experience potential crop loss, as well … Read more

Industrial hemp grows inside a greenhouse.
Communities

Hemp production in West Virginia quadrupled in 2019

by Clyde Craig

Industrial hemp farmers in West Virginia more than quadrupled crop production in 2019 compared to the previous year, according to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. This year, 132 farmers grew 641 acres of industrial hemp, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt—a significant increase from the 155 acres grown in 2018. “We must be … Read more

West Virginia University has announced plans to open a new facility in the Equities House in downtown Charleston, West Virginia.
Communities

WVU expanding its Charleston presence with new office space

by David Sibray

West Virginia University is expanding its presence in Charleston, West Virginia, leasing two floors in Equities House, a central downtown office building that will become home to several university offices. President Gordon Gee lauded the university’s move secure its presence in the state’s capital city. “Charleston is the business and cultural heart of West Virginia,” … Read more

Cornfield near Murraysville, WV, Jackson County, Mid-Ohio Valley Region
Communities

W.Va. DA offers tips for livestock suffering drought

by Clyde Craig

Officials at the state Department of Agriculture are offering the following recommendations to farmers whose livestock are suffering from water shortages as a result of drought. Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt says steps can be taken to remedy some problems now and as winter approaches. “When the weather gets this hot, farmers have to use … Read more

Clark Hall stands near the highest point on the campus of Glenville State College in West Virginia.
Communities

Glenville State College unveils new transfer program

by David Sibray

Already enjoying increased enrollment, Glenville State College is unveiling a new program that prospective students can use at home to determine the transferability of previous coursework. The system is designed to help students understand how their transfer classes may equate to classes at the school and apply to degree requirements, according to registrar Ann Reed. … Read more

Fulbright Scholars Léa Serres, left, Aya Atwa, and Chu-Yun Hsueh will teach language courses in French, Arabic, and Chinese at Bethany College in the 2019-2020 academic year.
Communities

Bethany College welcomes three Fulbright scholars

by Clyde Craig

Bethany College is hosting three recipients of the prestigious Fulbright scholarship who will be teaching foreign languages during the school’s 2019-2020 academic year. Engaged through Fulbright’s cultural exchange program’s foreign language teaching assistantship, Aya Atwa, of Egypt, Chu-Yun Hsueh, of Taiwan, and Léa Serres, of France, will be teaching language courses in Arabic, Chinese, and … Read more