Do you live in one of the most miserable places in West Virginia?
Only a third of West Virginians say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in West Virginia don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.
But, we were curious – which West Virginia cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.
After analyzing the 25 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Mountain State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Miserable Places In West Virginia
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.
Oh, and by the way, Morgantown is the happiest place in West Virginia.
For more West Virginia reading, check out:
The 10 Most Miserable Places In West Virginia For 2023
/10
Population: 19,150
Poverty Level: 13.4%
Median Home Price $96,700
Married Households 20.0%
Households With Kids 23.91%
More on Weirton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,373
Poverty Level: 9.6%
Median Home Price $298,300
Married Households 10.0%
Households With Kids 36.99%
More on Charles Town: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 8,228
Poverty Level: 19.5%
Median Home Price $103,800
Married Households 34.0%
Households With Kids 30.23%
More on Oak Hill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,630
Poverty Level: 17.0%
Median Home Price $106,900
Married Households 43.0%
Households With Kids 33.21%
More on Nitro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 9,699
Poverty Level: 20.6%
Median Home Price $78,100
Married Households 25.0%
Households With Kids 27.67%
More on Bluefield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 18,502
Poverty Level: 24.3%
Median Home Price $164,100
Married Households 12.0%
Households With Kids 32.85%
More on Martinsburg: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 5,885
Poverty Level: 20.5%
Median Home Price $102,300
Married Households 30.0%
Households With Kids 29.69%
More on Princeton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 6,980
Poverty Level: 19.2%
Median Home Price $116,200
Married Households 21.0%
Households With Kids 26.0%
More on Elkins: Data | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 16,085
Poverty Level: 24.1%
Median Home Price $92,100
Married Households 28.0%
Households With Kids 27.46%
More on Clarksburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
/10
Population: 8,195
Poverty Level: 21.2%
Median Home Price $83,300
Married Households 32.0%
Households With Kids 18.29%
More on Moundsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Mountain State
To rank the unhappiest places in West Virginia, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.
So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.
Like magic.
Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:
- Percentage of residents with a college degree
- Average commute times
- Unemployment rates
- Cost of living
- % of married couples
- % of families with kids
- Poverty rate
After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 25 places in West Virginia with over 5,000 people.
We then ranked each place from one to 25 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).
Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In West Virginia.”
If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.
We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in West Virginia.
There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In West Virginia
As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in West Virginia is usually a subjective matter.
But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.
If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in West Virginia, according to science:
- Morgantown
- Bridgeport
- Charleston
For more West Virginia reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In West Virginia
- Cheapest Places To Live In West Virginia
- Most Dangerous Cities In West Virginia
- Richest Cities In West Virginia
- Safest Places In West Virginia
- Worst Places To Live In West Virginia
- Most Expensive Places To Live In West Virginia
Miserable Cities In West Virginia For 2023
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Level | Median Home Value | % Married | % Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weirton, WV | 19,150 | 13.4% | $96,700 | 20.0% | 23.91% |
| 2 | Charles Town, WV | 6,373 | 9.6% | $298,300 | 10.0% | 36.99% |
| 3 | Oak Hill, WV | 8,228 | 19.5% | $103,800 | 34.0% | 30.23% |
| 4 | Nitro, WV | 6,630 | 17.0% | $106,900 | 43.0% | 33.21% |
| 5 | Bluefield, WV | 9,699 | 20.6% | $78,100 | 25.0% | 27.67% |
| 6 | Martinsburg, WV | 18,502 | 24.3% | $164,100 | 12.0% | 32.85% |
| 7 | Princeton, WV | 5,885 | 20.5% | $102,300 | 30.0% | 29.69% |
| 8 | Elkins, WV | 6,980 | 19.2% | $116,200 | 21.0% | 26.0% |
| 9 | Clarksburg, WV | 16,085 | 24.1% | $92,100 | 28.0% | 27.46% |
| 10 | Moundsville, WV | 8,195 | 21.2% | $83,300 | 32.0% | 18.29% |
| 11 | New Martinsville, WV | 5,208 | 18.0% | $105,000 | 33.0% | 24.27% |
| 12 | Hurricane, WV | 6,901 | 7.6% | $151,900 | 38.0% | 31.24% |
| 13 | Beckley, WV | 17,261 | 22.9% | $110,600 | 25.0% | 29.17% |
| 14 | Parkersburg, WV | 29,910 | 21.7% | $94,300 | 30.0% | 23.14% |
| 15 | St. Albans, WV | 10,842 | 15.0% | $120,600 | 40.0% | 25.74% |
| 16 | Fairmont, WV | 18,369 | 19.9% | $122,100 | 29.0% | 25.85% |
| 17 | Wheeling, WV | 27,142 | 16.5% | $116,300 | 25.0% | 23.67% |
| 18 | Huntington, WV | 46,923 | 30.2% | $98,600 | 23.0% | 20.77% |
| 19 | Dunbar, WV | 7,500 | 11.7% | $103,800 | 30.0% | 18.13% |
| 20 | South Charleston, WV | 13,595 | 18.3% | $126,600 | 26.0% | 26.16% |
| 21 | Buckhannon, WV | 5,343 | 19.5% | $133,600 | 26.0% | 24.23% |
| 22 | Vienna, WV | 10,676 | 10.5% | $141,600 | 39.0% | 21.47% |
| 23 | Charleston, WV | 49,055 | 17.5% | $157,000 | 27.0% | 22.75% |
| 24 | Bridgeport, WV | 9,165 | 4.4% | $227,100 | 35.0% | 26.67% |
| 25 | Morgantown, WV | 29,316 | 34.1% | $215,200 | 12.0% | 15.23% |