10 Best Places to Retire in West Virginia

For all of you who are looking to spend your retirement enjoying outdoor activities, we recommend taking a look at our 10 best places to retire in West Virginia. Places for fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing, you name it, West Virginia has it.

Known as “The Mountain State”, West Virginia is located entirely within the Appalachian Region that has some of the oldest mountains on Earth. It is “the 41st largest by area and the 38th most populous state in the nation”. According to the last Census from 2015, West Virginia has 1,844,128 residents, which is slightly lower compared to the data from 2010.

You will be happy to know that you won’t have bad surprises when it comes to weather. Summers are warm to hot, and winters are not harsh. This, however, depends on the altitude you are located at. Lower parts of the state have warmer weather and vice versa. You should keep this in mind when choosing the perfect location. If you like the warm weather, but not the mountains, it wouldn’t be bad for you to look at 10 best places to retire in Virginia as well.

Although the costs of living are 14% cheaper than the U.S. average, West Virginia has some serious issues you should be aware of. The economy of West Virginia is quite bad, and it is ranked among the last in the nation according to the Economic Index. The state also has the second lowest household income among all states. One more thing West Virginia isn’t proud about its healthcare system. Last research showed that West Virginia is last or second to last in almost 20 health-related categories, senior clinical care being one of them.

If this didn’t scare you off, let’s look at how we picked 10 best places to retire in West Virginia. After we found out West Virginia’s 20 most livable places (with a population greater than 5,000) according to Area Vibes, we looked into 4 factors: the number of physicians per capita (100,000), the crime rates, the number of residents aged 65 years and over, and the cost of living in each of these places. The data about these factors were taken from Sperling’s Best Places and U.S. Census. We calculated the average ranking for each place based on these factors and reached our goal. Let’s look at the list!

10. Fairmont

Retirement Score: 39
Cost of Living: 19% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 158
Crime Rates: 47.2
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 16.5%

From historical landmarks to the beautiful nature, you will always have something new to discover in Fairmont. There are also many festivals like Blues & Jazz Festival to keep you entertained.

9. Nitro

Retirement Score: 40
Cost of Living: 18% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 444
Crime Rates: 40.8
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 17.3%

Nitro is located between two West Virginia’s biggest cities, Huntington and Charleston. It has a growing community that won many accolades like “one of the best places to own a home and the second best place to live for young families in the state of West Virginia.”

8. Grafton

Retirement Score: 40
Cost of Living: 22% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 71
Crime Rates: 59.8
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 19%

Grafton values true American traditions. Not only the famous Mother’s Day was founded in this city, but it has the oldest ongoing Memorial Day celebration in the United States. If that is not enough, consider that Grafton is among the cheapest cities on our list.

7. Buckhannon

Retirement Score: 40
Cost of Living: 14% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 115
Crime Rates: 25.3
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 17.1%

This is a small town that is proud of its tradition. It has one of the lowest crime rates combined with the cheap costs of living. The city is best known for its annual Strawberry Festival.

6. Pea Ridge

Retirement Score: 42
Cost of Living: 9% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 633
Crime Rates: 42.2
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 19.7%

Pea Ridge is not officially a city, but a census-designated place. Still, the community is growing, and there are lots of retirees choosing Pea Ridge as a place to call home.

5. Parkersburg

Retirement Score: 42
Cost of Living: 22% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 240
Crime Rates: 56.9
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 18%

This is the biggest city on our list of 10 best places to retire in West Virginia, but well worth looking at. If you are not entirely ready to leave the big city life behind you and settle in a small town, then there is no better place than Parkersburg. There will always be something for you to do, especially if you like fishing and boating. The only downside is the big crime rate.

4. New Martinsville

Retirement Score: 45
Cost of Living: 17% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 72
Crime Rates: 43.3
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 21.7%

We are continuing our list of best places to retire in West Virginia with this place whis is with the biggest elderly population among our picks. One of the reasons may well be higher temperatures than in the rest of West Virginia. The thing that should worry you, however, is a disturbingly low number of physicians.

3. Vienna

Retirement Score: 46
Cost of Living: 17% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 240
Crime Rates: 34.9
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 19.6%

Don’t worry, we didn’t make a mistake and included Austria’s capital on our list of best places to retire in West Virginia. West Virginia’s Vienna is a tempting choice for retirement thanks to its low costs of living, fairly low rates compared to other cities and community with a high percentage of elders.

2. Dunbar

Retirement Score: 46
Cost of Living: 18% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 444
Crime Rates: 52.2
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 20.1%

Dunbar is for those outdoors lovers we talked about in the intro. You can hike, fish on the lake, or just enjoy a quiet walk in the park. In the mood for some company? The Senior Center is always packed with people eager to talk.

1. Weirton

Retirement Score: 55
Cost of Living: 19% cheaper than U.S. average
Physicians per Capita: 183
Crime Rates: 25.8
Residents Aged 65 and Over: 20.6%

The city of Weirton deserved its place on the top of our 10 best places to retire in West Virginia. It ranks among the top places in each of our categories, but also offers a lot more. There is something for everyone in Weirton. Outdoor lovers can spend their time in many parks and country clubs in and around the city. Indoor types have an opportunity to participate in various activities in the Weirton’s “Center of Activity”. If you like neither, you can pick to relax and enjoy in many features like swimming, spa, and senior citizen socials.