At a Glance
Median Income
$30,000
$18,676 per capita
Home Value
$81,500
Zillow: $128,330
Median Rent
$834/mo
39.0% of income on rent
Violent Crime
1,057/100K
7,207/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
12.0%
77.7% high school+
Unemployment
1.4%
46.2% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
44.6%
22.9% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
50°F
305 sunny days/yr
How Lester Compares to the U.S. Average
Each bar shows Lester's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)
Is Lester a Good Place to Live?
C+
2.6 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.
Economy & Jobs
Lester residents earn a median household income of $30,000 , which is 60% below the national average of $75,149.
Per capita income is $18,676. The unemployment rate stands at 1.4% (61% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 46.2% 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 Lester is $81,500 , 71% below the national median of $281,900.
Zillow estimates the typical home at $128,330. Median rent is $834/month, with 39.0% 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 1978.
Safety & Crime
Lester 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.
Education
12.0% of adults in Lester hold a bachelor's degree or higher
(64% below the national average).
77.7% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.0/10 in standardized testing.
Climate & Weather
Lester 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
Population492
Median Age50.4 yrs
Density984/mi²
Male / Female55% / 45%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans5.3%
Economy
C
Median Income$30,000
Per Capita$18,676
Unemployment1.4%
Poverty46.2%
County GDP$4,532M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,043
Housing
A+
Home Value$81,500
Rent$834
Ownership75.8%
Zillow$128,330
Housing Units190
Rent Burden39.0%
Crime
F
Violent1,057/100K
Property7,207/100K
Health
Obesity44.6%
Diabetes15.1%
Smoking22.9%
Heart Disease7.4%
Premature Death16,996/100K
Climate
Avg Temp50°F
Sunny Days305/yr
Rain43.4 in/yr
AQI39 (Good)
Elevation2,027 ft
Education
D
Bachelor's+12.0%
High School+77.7%
Graduate+6.2%
School Score5.0/10
Community
2024 VoteR 76% / D 22%
Commute48 min
Broadband68.5%
Internet Speed54 Mbps
EV Stations1
Libraries5
Did You Know?
The median home in Lester was built in 1978.
The nearest airport is West Virginia International Yeager (47 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.491 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
27.0% 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.
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