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In 2026, the cost of living remains a crucial factor for families deciding where to settle down. While some areas offer affordable dining and entertainment options, others mirror the expensive lifestyle of cities like San Francisco, making financial planning essential for families. Understanding these costs can help you make informed decisions about where to live and work.
Our analysis, powered by Zippia, identifies cities in West Virginia that significantly impact your budget due to higher living costs—akin to the pricier locales across the nation. Notably, while West Virginia generally offers a lower cost of living, certain areas surpass the national average, making them more costly to reside in.
After careful examination of the data, we present the following cities in West Virginia where raising a family may strain your wallet:
- Shannondale
- Charles Town
- Inwood
- Martinsburg
- Cheat Lake
- Bridgeport
- Morgantown
- Brookhaven
- Romney
- Star City
Continue reading to discover how these locations compare in terms of affordability and what factors contribute to their higher living costs.
How We Identified the Most Expensive Places to Live in West Virginia
Regardless of location, certain essential expenses are unavoidable. These include:
- Housing
- Food
- Gas
- Health Insurance
- Utilities
- Transportation
By analyzing the cost of these necessities across various West Virginia cities, we can determine which areas are the most financially demanding.
The resulting “Cost of Living Index” provides a normalized view, with a baseline of 100 representing the average U.S. city. We utilized data from Sperling’s Best Places to rank the 110 West Virginia cities with populations exceeding 1,000.
To clarify how the cost of living index operates: an index score of 100 indicates average costs, while a score of 80 suggests the area is 20% less expensive than average, and a score of 120 indicates it is 20% more expensive. For context, San Francisco boasts an index score of 243, highlighting its significant cost of living compared to the national average.
1. Shannondale
Population: 2,971
2. Charles Town
Population: 5,258
3. Inwood
Population: 17,316
4. Martinsburg
Population: 7,972
5. Cheat Lake
Population: 8,175
6. Bridgeport
Population: 29,956
7. Morgantown
Population: 5,181
8. Brookhaven
Population: 2,292
9. Romney
Population: 1,917
10. Star City
In conclusion, understanding the cost of living in these West Virginia cities is essential for families planning their futures. With rising expenses in certain areas, it’s important to consider not just salary but also how far that salary will stretch in your chosen community.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
