Greatest Locations to Stay in West Virginia

If you happen to take some nation roads to the place the place you belong, you’ll arrive in West Virginia. Whether or not you’re a mountain mama or papa, West Virginia is a nature lover’s paradise—with lakes, rivers and mountains galore to hike, bike, ski and whitewater raft. It’s no marvel one of many state’s nicknames is Nearly Heaven.

West Virginia has somewhat little bit of every part—from small cities and rural communities to suburbs and massive cities. And wherever you’re within the Mountain State, you’ll discover reasonably priced housing and a low price of residing.

If you happen to’re critical about shifting to West Virginia, the state’s Ascend program pays distant staff as much as $12,000 to relocate to a number of of the state’s communities.¹

Right here’s our listing of the eight finest locations to reside in West Virginia.

Lewisburg

Positioned within the Allegheny Mountains, Lewisburg was named the “Coolest Small City in America” in 2011.² What makes Lewisburg so cool?

For starters, Lewisburg’s historic downtown is crammed with artwork galleries, vintage outlets and eating places. You’ll positively wish to attempt the cod and lobster pasta at Stardust Café. And Carnegie Corridor has artwork displays and pop and classical concert events all year long. The ten-day State Truthful of West Virginia additionally calls Lewisburg residence.

Town has loads of outside actions, together with climbing and biking at close by Greenbrier State Forest. And Lewisburg has easy accessibility to the Greenbrier Valley Airport and is about 10 miles from The Greenbrier, a luxurious golf resort in White Sulphur Springs.

With regards to jobs, the well being care and training industries are the 2 largest employers in Lewisburg.³

Morgantown

Morgantown is nestled alongside the Monongahela River within the rolling hills of north central West Virginia. As residence to West Virginia College, the most important college within the state, Morgantown is thought for faculty athletics. The college is also the town’s largest employer.¹⁰

Morgantown is a paradise for nature lovers—fishing, climbing, kayaking, snowboarding—all types of outside adventures await. Close by Coopers Rock State Forest has canyon overlooks and 50 miles of trails.

Pizza and beer is form of a theme on this faculty city—and downtown Morgantown has tons of native eating places and breweries. Mountain State Brewing Firm serves up beer and wood-fired pizza. And the town celebrates native brews each February in the course of the Cabin Fever Craft Beer Pageant.

Morgantown has been ranked among the many high cities to boost a household, and its public colleges additionally rating excessive. For music lovers, the historic Metropolitan Theatre and the Ruby Amphitheater on the river host concert events all year long.

Cheat Lake

The Cheat Lake neighborhood surrounds the 1,730-acre man-made reservoir of the identical title. Cheat Lake is about 10 miles from Morgantown, and it’s a part of the Morgantown metropolitan space.

Cheat Lake is a rural, suburban space, and as you would possibly guess, lake life is large there—boating, swimming and fishing. If you wish to transfer there and don’t plan to open a bait store or one thing else lake-related, you’ll must discover a distant job or one thing in Morgantown.

You’ll expertise all 4 seasons in West Virginia, and Cheat Lake is very stunning within the fall when the timber ignite in vibrant hues of crimson and yellow.

You don’t want a complete lot of different issues to do when you’ve gotten a lake close by, however Cheat Lake does have a number of eating places. The Whippoorwill Bar & Grill (referred to as the “Whipp” by locals) serves beer and burgers by the lake.

Charleston

Positioned alongside the banks of the Kanawha River, Charleston is each the capital of West Virginia and its largest metropolis. Charleston has the conveniences of a giant metropolis, however the pure magnificence you’d discover in a extra rural space. The gold-domed state capitol constructing is Charleston’s signature landmark.

Downtown Charleston has an artsy vibe, with native outlets, eating places and galleries. Individuals rave concerning the Wagyu burger at Hale Home restaurant.

For leisure, Clay Middle for the Arts & Sciences is a one-stop store. You may try an artwork exhibit, step into the planetarium, or go to a live performance all beneath the identical roof. Close by Haddad Riverfront Park gives scenic views of the river, and it has an amphitheater that hosts concert events all year long.

For nature lovers, Kanawha Forest has greater than 9,000 acres for climbing, tenting, mountain biking and fishing.

Well being care and metropolis and state authorities are large employers in Charleston, however chemical manufacturing additionally performs a key position within the native financial system.²³

Weirton

Weirton is a small metropolis alongside the Ohio River in West Virginia’s northern panhandle (sure, Oklahoma and Florida aren’t the one states with panhandles). The slim northern panhandle juts up between Ohio and Pennsylvania, making Weirton the one metropolis within the nation that touches two different states.

Weirton is a quiet city that ranks among the many most secure cities in West Virginia, making it a great place to boost a household.³⁰ And it’s simply 35 minutes from Pittsburgh and all that large metropolis has to supply.

Weirton has its share of native shops and eating places (the gyros at Theo Yianni’s Greek American Restaurant are a should). And, like all over the place else in West Virginia, it has loads of outside actions. The Panhandle Path is a calming place to run, stroll or bike. And close by Tomlinson Run State Park is nice for fishing and climbing.

Metal was an enormous business in Weirton for many years, however well being care (notably the regional Weirton Medical Middle), is now the city’s largest employer.³¹

Bridgeport

Bridgeport is about 30 miles south of Morgantown. It’s a small, suburban city with good colleges and what each suburb wants: a large mall (referred to as Meadowbrook) with an Auntie Anne’s to fulfill pretzel cravings.

Bridgeport’s location within the I-79 hall makes it perfect for companies, and the town has a brand new enterprise park referred to as White Oaks and Charles Pointe, a $1.4 billion mixed-use improvement. Bridgeport can also be near Clarksburg, the place the FBI’s Prison Justice Data Companies Middle employs 1000’s of individuals.

A suburb wouldn’t be a suburb and not using a nice park, and Bridgeport Metropolis Park, with strolling trails and sports activities fields, matches the invoice. The Bridge Sports activities Advanced has much more indoor and outside house for sports activities of all types.

And when it’s time to eat, the rooster marsala at Oliverio’s Ristorante is at all times a crowd pleaser.

Wheeling

Wheeling is planted alongside the banks of the Ohio River within the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. From above, Wheeling seems like a mannequin prepare city, with bridges throughout the river and streets lined with timber, homes and companies.

Wheeling is an industrial city that has made a comeback, however the coal and pure gasoline industries are nonetheless large employers.⁴⁴ The once-rundown historic buildings in downtown Wheeling at the moment are brimming with native outlets and eating places (you may’t go mistaken with the fish sandwich at Coleman’s Fish Market). And the Capitol Theatre, a Victorian gem, hosts concert events and performs all year long.

For outside lovers, Wheeling’s park system has 24 miles of paved trails for strolling, working or biking. Oglebay Park is extra resort than park, with golf, snowboarding, a zoo and a spa! And when you’d fairly watch sports activities than play them, Wheeling has a minor league hockey group: the Wheeling Nailers.

Huntington

Huntington sits on the Ohio River the place Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia meet. Huntington is the second largest metropolis in West Virginia, however can also be a part of the Huntington-Ashland-Ironton metro space that covers three states and has a inhabitants of greater than 360,000.⁵¹

Huntington has a thriving cultural scene that features the Huntington Museum of Artwork and the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Middle. Downtown Huntington has plenty of boutiques and eating places alongside Third and Fourth avenues. The Peddler restaurant serves house-brewed beer and is known for duck-fat fries (sure, please).

And for outside actions, look no additional than Ritter Park, with its strolling path, playground, tennis courts and canine park.

Marshall College is likely one of the metropolis’s largest employers, and the tech and well being care industries are large in Huntington. Amazon additionally just lately constructed a big customer support heart within the metropolis.

Is West Virginia an Inexpensive Place to Stay?

One of the crucial necessary issues to do earlier than shifting to a brand new space is to ensure you can truly afford the price of residing there. And the price of housing is an important issue to think about.

To determine your housing funds, use the 25% rule—by no means purchase or hire a house that comes with a month-to-month cost that’s greater than 25% of your month-to-month take-home pay.

If you happen to’re getting a mortgage, that 25% restrict contains principal, curiosity, property taxes, insurance coverage, non-public mortgage insurance coverage (PMI) and householders affiliation charges. Use our Mortgage Calculator to enter your down cost quantity and check out totally different residence costs inside your funds.

If you would like a mortgage you may repay quick, speak to the house mortgage specialists we belief at Churchill Mortgage about getting a 15-year fixed-rate typical mortgage. Some other sort of mortgage will drown you in curiosity and further charges and preserve you in debt for many years. 

Work With a Professional if You’re Planning to Relocate

If you happen to assume West Virginia looks as if the place you belong, don’t begin packing but. If you happen to’re critical about making West Virginia your new residence, you want a neighborhood actual property agent who will help you discover the a part of the state that’s simply best for you.