St. Albans, WV

Census place 5471212 · pop 10,522

D52/ 100
😐 Meh
D
in WV
📍 West Virginia ranks #17 of 50 states →
🏆 Cost$140,800 · top 12%
🚽 Mental20.9% · bottom 5%
Taxes
0.69% property · US 0.99%6.59% sales · US 7.00%up to 4.82% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Poor mental health20.9%5

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

20.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult smoking19.4%7

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

19.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Physical inactivity32.7%15

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

32.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Median household income$53,97219

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

$53,972 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult obesity40.1%19

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

40.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Broadband access89.1%32

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

89.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Bachelor's degree or higher24.3%35

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

24.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poverty rate14.1%38

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

14.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Population growth (5yr)+2.5%47

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

+2.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Income inequality0.4352

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level80/10064

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

80/100 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.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.3%67

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

3.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level40 AQI68

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

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

Uninsured adults7.7%69

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

7.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Commute time21 min70

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

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

Homeownership71.8%71

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

71.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Property-tax burden0.69%74

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

0.69% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

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

0 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.

Housing cost$140,80088

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

$140,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Not measured for St. Albans: Crime, Property crime, Rent. 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 St. Albans, WV a good place to live?
By the numbers, St. Albans scores 52/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 19 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost 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 St. Albans, WV expensive to live in?
St. Albans has a median home value of $140,800 — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in St. Albans, WV?
Its weakest measured area is poor mental health (20.9%) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is St. Albans, WV best at?
Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($140,800) — 88/100, better than most U.S. cities.

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