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.
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 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
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
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
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
The process of making butter is known to be older than civilization, and a limitless variety of butter-making methods certainly exist—ranging from the production of ghee in southern Asia to bog butter in northern Europe. Simply put, the making of butter requires that microscopic globules of butterfat in cream be agitated, or churned, until the … Read more
WVU Tech will host its annual Homecoming at its new campus in Beckley, West Virginia, September 23-28, featuring a parade, tailgate, and ribbon cuttings for new facilities. Celebrating its third homecoming since opening the campus at Beckley, the university’s student population is now 1,700 and growing, and community leaders are excited. “It’s really obvious that … Read more
Can artificial intelligence be employed to boost coal power usage? One chemical engineer at West Virginia University is tapping into artificial intelligence to improve the profitability and flexibility of coal-fired power plants. Debangsu Bhattacharyya has received a $2.5-million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop an online tool that uses AI to monitor … Read more
Affordability and student-support initiatives are boosting fall enrollment at Glenville State College, which welcomed 425 new traditional and online students this semester, bringing total enrollment at the school to 1,540. According to Dr. Kathleen Nelson, staff and faculty efforts combined with scholarships and low tuition rates have helped the school build its enrollment. “Our faculty … Read more
West Virginia University astronomers have helped discover the most massive neutron star to date—a breakthrough uncovered through the Green Bank Telescope in Pocahontas County. The neutron star, called J0740+6620, is a rapidly spinning pulsar that packs 2.17 times the mass of the sun (which is 333,000 times the mass of the Earth) into a sphere … Read more
