What it's like to live in St. Albans
St. Albans is a small city in West Virginia with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities.
Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next. The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Shrinking population
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How St. Albans compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to St. Albans
Based on St. Albans's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,862
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $37,240 a year
- 42% of St. Albans renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$28,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $14,080
- Homes cost 2.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 34% below US
$931/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $931 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $140,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $140,800 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Kanawha County is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Kanawha County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 64% below US
118 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2339/100k · St. Albans Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 20% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 32% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, 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 Gauley River National Recreation Area (46 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
St. Albans's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a population that has been shrinking. A year of median rent ($931/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes.
See all the data for St. Albans →·All West Virginia cities →
Other places near St. Albans
All West Virginia guides →Moving to South Charleston →
6 mi away · pop. 13,457
Rent $844/mo · Income $63,884
Compare with St. Albans →Moving to Teays Valley →
8 mi away · pop. 14,151
Rent $1,102/mo · Income $108,741
Compare with St. Albans →Moving to Charleston →
10 mi away · pop. 47,421
Rent $908/mo · Income $65,812
Compare with St. Albans →Not sure St. Albans is the one?
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