Places › West Virginia › Morgantown

Living in Morgantown, WV

College town in West Virginia

Morgantown is a college town in West Virginia, home to about 30,000 people, with 180,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Morgantown a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Low taxes: about $1,208 state income tax per resident, 0.53% property tax
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $284k and rents for $1,320 a month
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.6× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Mild summers: highs around 83°F

👎 Cons

  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Few dog parks: 1 within 9 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Morgantown ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
30,000
180,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
43°F / 83°F
Average daily highs · 14″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$284k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,320/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
93
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,208
State income tax per resident · 0.53% property tax
Safety
0.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
9 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
2
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
58%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PIT
61 mi away

Living in Morgantown: common questions

What is the cost of living in Morgantown?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $284k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,320 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Morgantown?

West Virginia collects about $1,208 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.53% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Morgantown safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.6× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Morgantown?

Morgantown has cold winters: winter days average around 43°F and summer days around 83°F, with roughly 14″ of snow a year.

Does Morgantown get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 9 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.22 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Morgantown?

The nearest major airport is PIT, about 61 mi away.

How Morgantown scores

Each bar compares Morgantown with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Relaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Good
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Average
🎭Culture Below average
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Good

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Is Morgantown right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.