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Parkersburg, WV

Census place 5462140 · pop 29,240

D−48/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in WV
📍 West Virginia ranks #17 of 50 states →
🏆 Rent$981/mo · top 3%
🚽 Mental23.4% · bottom 1%
💡 Did you know?

Sits across from Blennerhassett Island, staging ground for Aaron Burr's 1806 treason conspiracy.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.67% property · US 0.99%6.59% sales · US 7.00%up to 4.82% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Poor mental health23.4%1

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

23.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult smoking23.9%1

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

23.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Adult obesity46.6%2

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

46.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Physical inactivity38.4%4

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

38.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Median household income$49,02511

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$49,025 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poverty rate22.5%12

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

22.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Population growth (5yr)-2.6%16

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-2.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Broadband access86.0%16

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

86.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Bachelor's degree or higher21.0%25

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

21.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Income inequality0.4630

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Uninsured adults10.1%45

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

10.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Air quality (AQI)County-level43 AQI51

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Homeownership65.0%53

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

65.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.5%56

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level1 days62

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.67%76

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.67% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Commute time19 min80

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$121,60092

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$121,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level28/10096

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

28/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$981/mo97

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$981/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Not measured for Parkersburg: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Parkersburg, WV a good place to live?
By the numbers, Parkersburg scores 48/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is poor mental health. West Virginia overall ranks #17 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Parkersburg, WV expensive to live in?
Parkersburg has a median home value of $121,600 and typical rent around $981/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Parkersburg, WV?
Its weakest measured area is poor mental health (23.4%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Parkersburg, WV best at?
Its strongest measured area is rent ($981/mo) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Sits across from Blennerhassett Island, staging ground for Aaron Burr's 1806 treason conspiracy.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.