West Virginia Deserves a Better Reputation
Think you really know West Virginia? It's home to the New River Gorge National Park - with views that could outshine your drone footage any day, pepperoni rolls that you'll have to devour to appreciate, and whitewater rapids that are almost as lively and fun as the unique small towns that populate the state. Let's run through the facts, stats, and local specialties that showcase what makes West Virginia's country roads so legendary.
Hannah, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Hannah is a born and raised West Virginian who briefly tested life across state lines before realizing the pull of the hills is undefeated. She has lived in both northern and south central West Virginia, moved more times than she can count during college, and knows Charleston well enough to give directions using landmarks instead of street names. She writes fiction, spins yarn into sweaters, drinks Charleston coffee like its a personality trait, and somehow keeps four pets fed. Editing West Virginia guides comes naturally when you know the people shine... even when the sun does not.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Makes West Virginia West Virginia?
The weird, useful, and surprisingly relevant facts that shape everyday life here.
Common nicknames for West Virginia
The Mountain State, Almost Heaven
Local Reality Check
Think West Virginia is all coal mines and hollers? Try thrilling climbs at the New River Gorge, a subculture fascinated by local cryptids, and a surge of remote workers.
You're most likely moving from
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland
Strangely large concentration of
pepperoni rolls, Mothman merch, whitewater guides, ATV trailheads
Music scene
Appalachian old time and bluegrass (catch some live at The Purple Fiddle in Thomas), indie at Morgantown's 123 Pleasant Street, NPR's Mountain Stage live in Charleston
You'll have to see it to believe it
Bridge Day BASE jumps off of the New River Gorge Bridge
Unique Geography
Rugged Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains, Monongahela National Forest, karst caves, endless hollows
West Virginia is home to
Green Bank Observatory in the National Radio Quiet Zone, Harpers Ferry - where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers converge, Pocahontas County's own Cass Scenic Railroad
Well known for its
die-hard WVU fans and Mountaineer football tailgates, kindhearted people, whitewater rafting in Gauley Season each fall, coal heritage, country roads
Fun history fact
Became a state in 1863, separating from Virginia during the Civil War
Celebrity sightings
Jennifer Garner in Charleston, Chelyan native and Lakers-famous basketballer Jerry West at WVU, Brad Paisley around Moundsville
Noteworthy Census stat
One of only three states to lose population between the 2010 and 2020 Census
Most interesting sub-culture within West Virginia
Helvetia locals and visitors who gather for the Swiss tradition of Fasnacht each each year, with handmade masks, dancing, and a burning of Old Man Winter
Population
39th by population, 41st by land size
West Virginia is roughly the same geographic size as
Latvia
Locals Know Best
Keep your tires full of air and beware of rough roads, especially if you plan to travel West Virginia county routes. You don't want to hit a pothole and get a flat on a one-lane or narrow road, especially at night!
— Hannah Wyatt
West Virginia Local Expert
Ready to See If West Virginia Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full West Virginia guide for the bigger picture.