© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Moving to
Cheat Lake.
Cheat Lake is an unincorporated community in Monongalia County, WV. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Cheat Lake
Cheat Lake is an unincorporated community in West Virginia with rent below the national average, county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cheat Lake deals with cold winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Cheat Lake compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cheat Lake
Based on Cheat Lake's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,248
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,960 a year
- 50% of Cheat Lake renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$73,520
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,760
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 20% below US
$1,124/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,124 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $367,600. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $367,600 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Monongalia County is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Monongalia County (county-wide)
Safety
73 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Cheat Lake doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Monongalia County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 238/100k · Policed by Monongalia County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 24°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 72% above US
62% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
1 public school inside the boundary
There is 1 public school inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Friendship Hill National Historic Site (8 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cheat Lake's strongest points are rent below the national average and county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city. A year of median rent ($1,124/mo) equals 12% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and college-educated professionals.
See all the data for Cheat Lake →·All West Virginia cities →
Other places near Cheat Lake
All West Virginia guides →Not sure Cheat Lake is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.