Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Parkersburg, WV

    Is Parkersburg a good place to live?

    Watch Parkersburg

    Parkersburg ranks #4 of 5 West Virginia cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (44/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.8% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $113,900
    +9.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $746
    per month
    Household income
    $44,675
    median
    Unemployment
    8.0%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Parkersburg

    The median home value in Parkersburg is $113,900 and median rent is $746 a month, against a median household income of $44,675. Homes cost about 2.5× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Parkersburg crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across West Virginia the 2025 rate was 266 violent and 1,094 property crimes per 100,000 people — #41 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Parkersburg, WV

    Parkersburg has about 29,461 residents, 8.0% unemployment and 12% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Parkersburg with

    Parkersburg vs CharlestonParkersburg vs HuntingtonParkersburg vs MorgantownParkersburg vs Wheeling

    More: Where to move in West Virginia · Best counties in West Virginia

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report