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Living in
Beckley.
About
Life in Beckley
Life in Beckley is built on affordability and stability—the kind of place where you can actually own a home without sacrificing your entire paycheck. With a median home value around $158,000 and median rent hovering near $867 a month, your money stretches further here than in most of the country, and the job market is solid enough to support it, with an unemployment rate of 4.3% and a diverse economy anchored by education (WVU Tech, University of Charleston, and Concord all have a presence here) rather than any single industry. The city sits on the Allegheny Plateau at elevation, which means summers are genuinely pleasant—warm and humid but with only about 1.3 days per year hitting 90 degrees, a real advantage over lower elevations—while winters bring serious snow (averaging 56 inches seasonally) and cold that locals know how to handle.
Beckley at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
28.9%
Foreign-Born
3.0%
Broadband Internet
82.8%
of households
Population Growth
-5.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.0% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Beckley: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Beckley, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (40.4%), and 3.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.4%
of residents
65 and Older
21.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.5%
of households
Married Couples
34.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.28
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for WV
Rent, home values, and income in Beckley
Rent and home values here are close to the WV average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
36.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
88.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$777
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
55.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1960
median year built
Vacant Homes
18.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $149,614 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WV
Unemployment in Beckley
Unemployment in Raleigh County, which includes Beckley, is close to the WV average.
Unemployment rate
Beckley: Raleigh County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Raleigh County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Beckley Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.5 min avg
How Beckley residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Beckley, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW)
Regional airport · few flights6,300 passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 117% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Beckley runs 117% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
715.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
7,097
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Beckley Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 36 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
65.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Raleigh County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Raleigh County, which includes Beckley, the most common type is winter weather, with 36 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 | Thunderstorm Wind | $26,300 |
| 2024 | 24 | Strong Wind | $85,750 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,200 |
| 2022 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.5M |
| 2021 | 13 | Winter Weather | $31,000 |
| 2020 | 14 | Strong Wind | $181,000 |
| 2019 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $188,000 |
| 2018 | 16 | Winter Weather | $113,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Raleigh County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Greenbrier County, WV (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 41 miles from Beckley) is typically good — 227 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
227
per year
Moderate Days
17
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Greenbrier County, WV (41 mi away)
Climate78°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Beckley has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.4"
Annual Snowfall
38.4"
Hot Days/Year
0
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
139
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
147
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 19°F | 3.09" |
| Feb | 43°F | 21°F | 2.87" |
| Mar | 51°F | 27°F | 3.79" |
| Apr | 63°F | 36°F | 3.78" |
| May | 71°F | 46°F | 4.56" |
| Jun | 76°F | 54°F | 4.12" |
| Jul | 79°F | 58°F | 5.36" |
| Aug | 78°F | 57°F | 3.73" |
| Sep | 73°F | 50°F | 3.31" |
| Oct | 63°F | 39°F | 2.56" |
| Nov | 53°F | 29°F | 2.66" |
| Dec | 43°F | 23°F | 3.53" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 3.3/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Beckley
Beckley has 3 hospitals, averaging 3.3 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
3.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.3 / 5
Beckley VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available
Beckley Arh Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Raleigh General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Camc Plateau Medical Center, Inc.
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 13.2 mi away · Oak Hill
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Beckley
Beckley's student/teacher ratio is 14.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 29.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Beckley
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Public · 4-year · 981 students · in-state tuition $8,976 · 35% graduate · median earnings $62,910 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, 12 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Beckley
Beckley has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being New River Gorge National Park & Preserve (12 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
National Park & Preserve
12 mi awayBluestone National Scenic River
National Scenic River
19 mi awayGauley River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
31 mi awayBooker T Washington National Monument
National Monument
92 mi awayPublic Libraries in Beckley
Raleigh County Public Library
221 N. Kanawha St., Beckley
Cities Near Beckley
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Beckley?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Beckley FAQ
Is Beckley, West Virginia affordable?⌄
Beckley's median rent is $869/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $45,826/year. Median home value is $158,000.
Is Beckley, West Virginia safe?⌄
Beckley's violent crime rate was 716 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 7097 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Beckley, West Virginia?⌄
Raleigh County, which includes Beckley, has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Beckley, West Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Beckley is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $869/month and median household income is $45,826/year. The median home value is $158,000. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Beckley, West Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Beckley is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from