The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In West Virginia

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In West Virginia For 2024

Beckley made its reputation early in the 20th century as a coal town. You can see this history on display in the nearby Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine.

The development of the coal industry led to a jump in population. From less than 400 residents in 1900, the number swelled to nearly 20,000 by the middle of the century.

However, the last several decades have presented increased economic difficulty for this community in southern West Virginia. This has contributed to a growing crime problem, including high rates of burglary and larceny. Violence also poses a major challenge. Beckley endures the number 3 highest pace of violent crimes in the state.

It may seem strange to say about a city of 47,350 people, but Charleston represents the central metropolis of West Virginia. For one thing, it serves as the state capital. What’s more, the community, located in the southwest part of the state, also represents West Virginia’s largest city.

As you’d guess, this leads to sizable amount of crime. Charleston faces high rates of burglaries, as well as 302 violent crimes. This includes 10 murders.

However, there are drawn to life in Charleston as well. This includes parks by the river, museums, and the State Capitol.

South Charleston is located about where you’d think. That’s right: south of Charleston, the state’s capital and largest city.

As such, South Charleston becomes part of the general urban sprawl. Part of this involves dealing with relatively high crime rates. As a result, South Charleston becomes the number 3 most dangerous spot in West Virginia. This comes as residents face high rates of car theft and larceny.

That said, a visitor shouldn’t ignore the other side of South Charleston. For instance, the town features the Criel Mound, a Native American burial ground dating back more than 2,000 years.

Clarksburg was once in the running to become the state capital of West Virginia. During a vote in 1877, the community came in second, losing out to Charleston, which remains the center of the state’s government to this day.

Ah well… win some, lose some. Today, this city of 15,092 people, located in the north-central part of the state, has other things to worry about. It ranks as the number 4 most dangerous spot in West Virginia. This includes high rates of larceny and arson.

Wheeling was the original capital of West Virginia, back when the state first split off from Virginia during the Civil War. The arrival of industry allowed the population to peak above 60,000 during the 1930s. The last few decades have seen a steady decline, however, leaving the city with less than half that total these days.

Along with this economic deterioration, the community has suffered a high rate of crime. This includes a disturbing level of sexual assaults. In an area with 26,244 residents, Wheeling reported 25 rapes and 323 total violent crimes. Residents also face high rates of burglaries and robberies.

Built along the Kanawha River, just outside of the state capital of Charleston, Dunbar suffers from a massive robbery epidemic. In fact, it reports the number 6.0 highest pace of that crime in West Virginia.

This crime wave obscures a rich history. The land that now makes up Dunbar once belonged to George Washington. He received it as part of a grant based on his military service. Despite this pedigree, the town itself didn’t come into being until the early 20th century, when it became the center of a thriving glass manufacturing industry. This economic boom peaked in the 1960s, with the town’s population dwindling over the next several decades.

Parkersburg sits in the northwest part of the state, built along the Ohio River, across the border from Ohio. Meanwhile, the Little Kanawha River travels through town — a fact that points to the firm’s early history as an important commercial hub. Later, railroad construction and the discovery of nearby oil fields turned the community into an industrial center. The population ballooned from less than 9,000 in 1890 to a level around 45,000 by the 1960s.

There has been a significant pullback since that time, with the current population sitting at around 29,190. This changing economic situation has also led to a sizable crime problem. Residents suffer scary rates of sexual assaults and arson. Also, burglary and car thefts remain common.

West Virginia’s second biggest city, Huntington, is also its eighth most dangerous.

Huntington has a lot on its plate in terms of criminal activity. It’s the fifth most violent place in West Virginia and has the unfortunate distinction of having the eighth highest rate of rape cases in the state.

On top of that, your home isn’t even a sanctuary in Huntington. That’s because the city had the seventh highest burglary rate statewide, with more than one break in occurring each day, on average.

Here’s hoping nobody tries to pull a heist on theHuntington Museum of Art.

Located northwest along the Kanawha River from Charleston, Nitro ranks as West Virginia’s ninth most dangerous place.

Nitro has some room for hope, as violent crime fell over the last year and property crime dropped.

Still, you should hide your winnings after a night out at the Mardi Gras Casino, because Nitro has the fourth highest property crime rate in West Virginia.

Overall, residents had a 1 in 24 chance of getting their pockets picked, their cars stolen, or their houses broken into over 2022 — not winning odds for a city that loves its gambling.

We’re taking yet another trip west out of Charleston to reach West Virginia’s tenth most dangerous place to call home, St. Albans.

St. Albans residents had a 1 in 34 chance of being the victim of a property crime in 2022. If you live in St. Albans, chances are you know someone who’s had something stolen or vandalized by criminals. Learn from their experiences and keep a close watch on your stuff when you’re at the St. Albans City Park.

On top of that, St. Albans had the 13th highest rate of rape cases and 17th highest murder rate in West Virginia — yikes.

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