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Beckley, WV

Full City Profile · West Virginia · Raleigh County County

2.9 /5.0
C+ Fair
16,977 Population 1,787/sq mi density
$39,939 Median Income $30,990 per capita
$148,800 Home Value $142,722 Zillow
$867 Median Rent 34.3% income on rent
50°F Avg Temperature 305 sunny days/yr
1,057 Violent Crime/100K 7,207 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.9 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B
Economy
3.0 / 5.0
$39,939 median income, 1.4% unemployment
A+
Affordability
4.6 / 5.0
$148,800 home value, $867/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
1,057 violent crimes/100K (178% above avg)
B
Education
3.1 / 5.0
25.9% bachelor's degree or higher

Beckley, WV

At a Glance

Median Income
$39,939
47% below
$30,990 per capita
Home Value
$148,800
47% below
Zillow: $142,722
Median Rent
$867/mo
25% below
34.3% of income on rent
Violent Crime
1,057/100K
178% above
7,207/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
25.9%
23% below
89.7% high school+
Unemployment
1.4%
61% below
22.6% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
45.1%
40% above
21.3% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
50°F
305 sunny days/yr

How Beckley Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Beckley's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
53%
Home Value
53%
Rent
75%
Poverty
182%
Bachelor's
77%
Unemployment
39%
Crime
278%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Beckley a Good Place to Live?

C+
2.9 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Beckley residents earn a median household income of $39,939 , which is 47% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $30,990. The unemployment rate stands at 1.4% (61% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 22.6% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 2,608 business establishments, including 129 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Beckley is $148,800 , 47% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $142,722. Median rent is $867/month, with 34.3% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 89.5 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1958.

Safety & Crime

Beckley reports 1,057 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 178% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 7,207/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

25.9% of adults in Beckley hold a bachelor's degree or higher (23% below the national average). 89.7% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.0/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Beckley has an average annual temperature of 50°F (10°C). Winters average 30°F in January while summers reach 69°F in July. The area gets 305 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 43.4 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 39.

Data Overview

People

Population16,977
Median Age39.0 yrs
Density1,787/mi²
Male / Female49% / 51%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans7.9%

Economy

B
Median Income$39,939
Per Capita$30,990
Unemployment1.4%
Poverty22.6%
County GDP$4,532M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,043

Housing

A+
Home Value$148,800
Rent$867
Ownership53.2%
Zillow$142,722
Housing Units8,665
Rent Burden34.3%

Crime

F
Violent1,057/100K
Property7,207/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault739/100K
Burglary1,591/100K

Health

Obesity45.1%
Diabetes15.9%
Smoking21.3%
Heart Disease7.3%
Premature Death16,996/100K

Climate

Avg Temp50°F
Sunny Days305/yr
Rain43.4 in/yr
AQI39 (Good)
Elevation2,395 ft

Education

B
Bachelor's+25.9%
High School+89.7%
Graduate+8.4%
School Score5.0/10

Community

2024 VoteR 76% / D 22%
Commute19 min
Broadband80.4%
Internet Speed54 Mbps
EV Stations4
Libraries5

Did You Know?

Beckley was founded in 1838.
The median home in Beckley was built in 1958.
The nearest airport is West Virginia International Yeager (48 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.491 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
25.6% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 129 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 10 fatal vehicle crashes.
91 declared natural disasters on record.