Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to West Virginia

You think about moving to West Virginia but want to get additional information about the state before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you the pros and cons of living in West Virginia in the following chapters.

Living in West Virginia – Overview

Advantages of Living in West Virginia

1. Living costs in West Virginia are rather low
2. Property prices are still affordable for the general public
3. Rents in West Virginia are at a reasonably low level
4. Housing shortage is not a big problem in most parts of West Virginia yet
5. Competition in the housing market is rather low
6. Rather low overall financial pressure for people living in West Virginia
7. You don’t have to make a fortune to make a decent living in West Virginia
8. It’s not all about the money in West Virginia
9. You can meet many honest people in West Virginia
10. People will pretty likely help you out when you urgently need support
11. Easy to make great friends in West Virginia
12. You can really rely on your social contacts in West Virginia
13. West Virginia offers lots of beautiful nature
14. People in West Virginia can spend lots of time outdoors
15. Many hobbies you can do in the wild
16. Moving to West Virginia may help you relax
17. You can slow down your life by moving to West Virginia
18. Decent air quality in most parts of West Virginia
19. West Virginia is not a hectic place
20. You will find many recreational spaces in West Virginia
21. Population density is rather low
22. More than enough space for yourself in public
23. Traffic is not a big deal in West Virginia
24. Finding a parking lot is pretty easy
25. West Virginia is a rather quiet place
26. Moving to West Virginia may help you find your true self
27. You may be able to grow in character by moving to West Virginia
28. West Virginia can be a great state to live self-sufficient
29. You may be able to become fully independent from society in the long run
30. You can forage for food in many parts of West Virginia
31. You can live a pretty original lifestyle in West Virginia
32. Many free things to do in West Virginia
33. West Virginia may be an interesting place for retirees
34. You can enjoy hot and sunny summers in West Virginia
35. Rather mild winters may be attractive to many people
36. Most parts of West Virginia are not flooded by tourists yet
37. You can make many nice day trips in West Virginia
38. Moving to West Virginia makes sense if you don’t like big city life
39. Living in West Virginia may help you get back to the roots
40. You may have enough time for your family
41. Rather low crime rates in many parts of West Virginia

Living costs in West Virginia are rather low

One advantage of living in West Virginia is that living costs are still rather low compared to most other parts of the US and this means you don’t have to spend lots of money on things of daily life and may be able to save and invest more money for retirement and other important things.

Property prices are still affordable for the general public

You should also know that property prices are pretty low in most parts of West Virginia and this enables you to buy homes at rather low prices so you don’t have to deal with as high mortgage rates as people moving to California or other more expensive regions.

Rents in West Virginia are at a reasonably low level

Not only property prices are pretty low but also rents are still affordable in most parts of West Virginia and you will also find many different housing options, no matter whether you search for a place to rent for a big family or just need a small flat as a single.

Housing shortage is not a big problem in most parts of West Virginia yet

In general, housing shortage is not a big problem in most regions of West Virginia yet and you will not have to search for a long time to find a decent place to stay.

Competition in the housing market is rather low

Since the housing market in West Virginia is not as competitive as in many other regions, you will also have a good chance buying a property at a reasonably low price and sometimes even below market value so you can make a really good deal in the long run.

Rather low overall financial pressure for people living in West Virginia

Since housing and living costs are rather low, also overall financial pressure for people living in West Virginia is rather low and people may therefore have to worry less about money than in many other more expensive regions.

You don’t have to make a fortune to make a decent living in West Virginia

Thanks to rather low living costs, you also don’t have to make really great money from your job to make a decent living and this means you also don’t have to work many extra hours to support your family.

It’s not all about the money in West Virginia

In general, money may just not be as important in West Virginia as in many other more expensive regions and people may rather care about what you are and how you behave instead of just caring about the things you own.

You can meet many honest people in West Virginia

Another upside to living in West Virginia is that many people in this region are really honest and give you genuine feedback so you can learn from your mistakes and can become a much better version of yourself in the future.

People will pretty likely help you out when you urgently need support

Most people in West Virginia are also pretty helpful and this can be great, especially during the first days and weeks in this new region when everything may still feel new and unfamiliar to you.

Easy to make great friends in West Virginia

Since you can meet many honest people and will learn to trust them, you will also be able to make really great friendships in the long run and some of those great people will even stay in your life until you finally pass away.

You can really rely on your social contacts in West Virginia

In general, people in West Virginia also tend to be really reliable and if you surround yourself with the right people, you can be pretty sure that they will help you out even during the darkest times of your life.

West Virginia offers lots of beautiful nature

Another benefit of living in West Virginia is that you will also be surrounded by lots of beautiful nature.

In fact, there are many lakes, rivers and mountains where you can relax and reload your batteries.

People in West Virginia can spend lots of time outdoors

Since there are many nice nature locations, people in West Virginia also tend to spend lots of time outdoors and can get lots of oxygen which may keep them fit and balanced in the long run.

Many hobbies you can do in the wild

You can also do many great hobbies outdoors.

For instance, you can go fishing, hunting, swimming and do many other nice things in nature which can make your life pretty interesting.

Moving to West Virginia may help you relax

Since West Virginia has to offer lots of beautiful nature, it can also be a pretty peaceful place where you may be able to really relax from your stressful life.

You can slow down your life by moving to West Virginia

Also in case you currently feel stressed by the busy city you live in right now, moving to West Virginia may make quite a lot of sense for you since you could move to a quieter neighborhood and may be better able to enjoy your life in the long run.

Decent air quality in most parts of West Virginia

Another advantage of moving to West Virginia is that you can also enjoy pretty decent air quality in most regions and this may keep you fit and vital in the long run.

West Virginia is not a hectic place

You should also keep in mind that West Virginia is not a hectic place at all.

In fact, everything is rather slow and relaxed and if you are the kind of person who doesn’t like stress at all, West Virginia may be a great place to stay for you.

You will find many recreational spaces in West Virginia

There are also many parks and other recreational spaces in the urban parts of West Virginia which help you relax during lunch break or after work.

Population density is rather low

Compared to many other states in the US, also popular density is rather low in West Virginia and you will therefore not feel like being surrounded by too many people as it might be the case if you moved to NYC or other more crowded regions.

More than enough space for yourself in public

In general, you will have more than enough space for yourself in public places during times you just don’t want to have company and need to think about complex problems and how to solve them.

Traffic is not a big deal in West Virginia

Since population density is rather low, also traffic is not a big problem in West Virginia yet and this means you just don’t have to waste as much time in traffic jams as in most other regions of the US.

Finding a parking lot is pretty easy

Since there are not many cars on the road in most parts of West Virginia, also finding a parking lot is pretty easy and you may not have to spend lots of money and time in this regard.

West Virginia is a rather quiet place

You should also know that West Virginia is a rather quiet place where you will not often be distracted by loud car noises or screaming people but may rather be able to enjoy nature instead.

Moving to West Virginia may help you find your true self

Since you will not be distracted by many things or people, you can also really focus on yourself and figure out what you really want so you can live your life according to your own values and become really happy in the long run.

You may be able to grow in character by moving to West Virginia

Moving to West Virginia may also let you grow in character since you will be on your own quite often and by spending lots of time alone, you can really figure yourself out and become a more mature and confident person.

West Virginia can be a great state to live self-sufficient

West Virginia can also be a pretty interesting option when it comes to living a self-sufficient lifestyle since you will often be able to buy a large piece of land at a rather low price and can grow your own crops and keep farm animals to produce part of what you need for daily life yourself.

You may be able to become fully independent from society in the long run

If you want to put it to the extreme, you may even be able to get fully independent of society by producing everything you need to be happy in life by yourself.

You can forage for food in many parts of West Virginia

Since West Virginia provides lots of beautiful nature, you will also be able to forage for food and this may not only be pretty interesting but may also save you some money.

You can live a pretty original lifestyle in West Virginia

In general, since you can spend so much time in nature, you can also live a pretty original lifestyle and may be able to make many experiences your ancestors have made even hundreds of years ago.

Many free things to do in West Virginia

You also don’t need to spend lots of money to have a great time in West Virginia since there are many free things to do in nature.

West Virginia may be an interesting place for retirees

Since West Virginia is a rather quiet place and also a rather cheap place to live, it may also be an interesting place to retire.

You can enjoy hot and sunny summers in West Virginia

Another upside of moving to West Virginia is that summers are also great, hot and sunny and if you love the sun, you may get really happy in this region.

Rather mild winters may be attractive to many people

Not only summers are great but also winters can be rather mild which may enable you to spend lots of time outdoors even during the coldest period of the year.

Most parts of West Virginia are not flooded by tourists yet

Since West Virginia is not really popular among tourists yet, you will also not run into large groups of tourists on a regular basis but may rather be able to focus on your own things instead of being asked for directions all the time.

You can make many nice day trips in West Virginia

There are also many nice day trips to nature you can make when living in West Virginia and chances are you will never run out of options in this regard.

Moving to West Virginia makes sense if you don’t like big city life

For people who don’t like big city life and just want to spend their lives in a rather quiet place, West Virginia can be a great state since it offers many opportunities to live a rather quiet lifestyle.

Living in West Virginia may help you get back to the roots

Since you can live a pretty original lifestyle, moving to West Virginia may also enable you to go back to the roots and to preserve some noble traditions which might have been forgotten otherwise.

You may have enough time for your family

Since you don’t have to make really good money to provide for your family, you may also not have to work as many extra hours as in many other states and may be able to make many nice day trips and see your kids grow up.

Rather low crime rates in many parts of West Virginia

West Virginia is also a rather safe state and crime rates are rather low compared to many other states in the US which can greatly increase your overall quality of life.

As you can see, there are many reasons for moving to West Virginia.

Yet, it is not all sunshine and we also have to talk about the drawbacks of living in West Virginia in the following so you get a more comprehensive picture of reality and will be better able to decide whether you still want to move to West Virginia or rather want to move to Colorado or other exciting states instead.

Disadvantages of Living in West Virginia

1. Rather high unemployment rate in West Virginia
2. Not many really big companies to work for
3. Hard to build a strong business network in West Virginia
4. Many people struggle with keeping their jobs
5. Rather low income level in West Virginia
6. Many young people consider leaving West Virginia
7. Population is about to decrease in the long run
8. West Virginia may not be a great place to study
9. West Virginia may be too hot for you
10. West Virginia may be too quiet for you
11. Not as many entertainment options as in many other states
12. You should love nature if you want to get happy in West Virginia
13. Big city life is almost non-existent in West Virginia
14. Not many fancy shopping options in West Virginia
15. Rather poor public transport in West Virginia
16. Medical infrastructure is not great in many regions of West Virginia
17. Hard to find really good education in West Virginia
18. Bringing your kids to school may take you quite a long time
19. Distances in West Virginia can be pretty long
20. West Virginia is not a really big state
21. West Virginia may not be the most popular state
22. Cultural diversity may be rather limited in many parts of West Virginia
23. Level of tolerance may not be as high as in many other states
24. Hard to meet many international tourists in West Virginia
25. You may get bored with your life in West Virginia in the long run
26. Not many great sports teams in West Virginia
27. Limited number of decent museums in West Virginia
28. Hard to find a decent art scene in West Virginia
29. Natural disasters may become more common
30. Homeowners insurance may become more expensive
31. Rather unclear future outlook for the state of West Virginia

Rather high unemployment rate in West Virginia

One problem with living in West Virginia is that unemployment rate is really high in this region and you may therefore have a hard time finding a decent job.

Not many really big companies to work for

You should also know that there are just not many really big corporations to work for in West Virginia and many people therefore consider leaving this region and moving to Los Angeles or other regions with better working conditions.

Hard to build a strong business network in West Virginia

Since West Virginia may not attract as many ambitious people as many other regions, you may also have a really hard time building a strong business network which may slow down your career quite a lot.

Many people struggle with keeping their jobs

Due to high unemployment rates, it is not only hard to find a decent job but also to keep it in the long run since in case somebody comes along who would be willing to do your job at a lower wage, you may just get fired pretty quickly.

Rather low income level in West Virginia

Another downside to moving to West Virginia is that the overall income level is pretty low and you may therefore have a really hard time making good money from what you are doing.

Many young people consider leaving West Virginia

Due to rather poor working conditions and other structural problems, many young people also consider leaving the West Virginia region and you may therefore just end up with many older people which may just be as much fun as staying with the younger generation in the long run.

Population is about to decrease in the long run

Also population numbers and forecasts are not really promising since they show that many people may leave this region in general and population may drop even further and also public infrastructure may get worse.

West Virginia may not be a great place to study

Since there are not many really great universities and West Virginia may also not be the most exciting place for young people, it may also not be a great place for students and you may be better off studying in Chicago or other bigger metropolitan regions instead.

West Virginia may be too hot for you

You should also know that West Virginia is a pretty hot place and if you are not used to hot and humid weather, you may just not get happy in this region due to climatic factors.

West Virginia may be too quiet for you

You should also be aware of the fact that West Virginia is also a rather quiet state and if you are the kind of person who needs action all day and night long, you may be better off in a different region.

Not as many entertainment options as in many other states

In general, you should also not expect as many great entertainment options as people moving to Las Vegas or other very exciting places are able to experience.

You should love nature if you want to get happy in West Virginia

Before moving to West Virginia, you should also make sure that you really love nature since you will often not have many other entertainment options at hand and people who don’t like nature activities may get bored with their lives in West Virginia pretty quickly.

Big city life is almost non-existent in West Virginia

Another disadvantage of living in West Virginia is that there are just not many really big cities in this region and if you love being surrounded by big skyscrapers, you may be better off moving to San Diego or other bigger metropolitan regions instead.

Not many fancy shopping options in West Virginia

Also in case you are a shopping queen, you may not get happy in many parts of West Virginia since the number of fancy boutiques and malls may be rather limited.

Rather poor public transport in West Virginia

You should also not expect to find really great public transport in most parts of West Virginia and may therefore have to rely on your car to get around quite a lot.

Medical infrastructure is not great in many regions of West Virginia

Outside of the cities, you may also have a hard time finding really good medical infrastructure and in case of medical emergency, you may not find proper medical treatment unless you drive many miles.

Hard to find really good education in West Virginia

While there are some good schools in West Virginia, you may just not find world-class education in this region and may therefore not be able to provide the best education possible to your kids.

Bringing your kids to school may take you quite a long time

Since there may not be many really great schools, you may also have to drive your kids long hours to school and also to pick them up from school and this may take away lots of precious leisure from you in the long run.

Distances in West Virginia can be pretty long

Since public infrastructure may not be really great outside of the big cities, distances can also be pretty long and you may therefore have to spend lots of time in your car.

West Virginia is not a really big state

You should also know that West Virginia is not the biggest state and once you have seen the most iconic places, you may just no longer get excited by this state.

West Virginia may not be the most popular state

Compared to other states in the US, West Virginia may also not be the most popular state to live in and you may therefore have to justify quite a lot for your decision of moving to West Virginia among your peers.

Cultural diversity may be rather limited in many parts of West Virginia

Another disadvantage of moving to West Virginia is that you will also not be able to experience as many different cultural influences as in many other states and may just not get happy with overall levels of cultural diversity in the long run.

Level of tolerance may not be as high as in many other states

While you will be able to meet many tolerant and open people in West Virginia, some of them are still pretty traditional and conservative and may not appreciate alternative ways of life as much as you might have hoped for.

Hard to meet many international tourists in West Virginia

Since West Virginia is not the most popular place among tourists, you may also not be able to have as many interesting conversations with people from all over the world as in many other states.

You may get bored with your life in West Virginia in the long run

Since West Virginia is a rather quiet place, you may also just get bored with your life in this region if you are a person who needs adrenaline and action all the time.

Not many great sports teams in West Virginia

There are also not as many really great sports teams in West Virginia as in many other states and if you are a sports fan and want to watch many games at the highest level, West Virginia may just not be the best option to move to.

Limited number of decent museums in West Virginia

You may also not find as many great museums in West Virginia as in many other states and you may therefore just get bored and run out of options in this regard rather quickly.

Hard to find a decent art scene in West Virginia

Also in case you are an artist and want to meet up with many other like-minded people, you may just not get happy in West Virginia since the number of decent art scenes is rather limited.

Natural disasters may become more common

Due to climate change, also the risk of natural disasters has increased quite a lot in the West Virginia region over the past and will likely continue to do so and in case you get hit by one of those extreme events, you may just lose everything that has ever been important to you.

Homeowners insurance may become more expensive

Since natural disasters will become more common, also costs of homeowners insurance will likely go up which will make living in West Virginia more expensive in the future.

Rather unclear future outlook for the state of West Virginia

Due to rather high unemployment rates and since many people are leaving this region, overall future outlook for West Virginia may be rather questionable and there may be other states with better future prospects.

Top 10 Moving to West Virginia Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is West Virginia a Good Place to Live?

While West Virginia can be a great place to live since you can enjoy lots of beautiful nature and living and housing costs are fairly low, you should also know that overall entertainment options are rather limited and finding really good jobs that pay lots of money is not easy in the West Virginia region.

In the end, it is on you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of living in West Virginia yourself so you will be better able to decide for yourself whether you want to live in this region in the long run.

Most Popular Cities to Live in West Virginia – Comparison

Alternative States to Live

If you no longer want to move to West Virginia, you may also want to have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Virginia

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Washington State

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Texas

Sources

https://www.statista.com/statistics/206386/resident-population-in-west-virginia/

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/WV

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.