West Alexander PA Presby PHS636, 1923
West Alexander’s story
219 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1923 and 4 maps from 1902 on.
- 1807West Alexander is settled
West AlexanderPA
Photo: Generic1139 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
491
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$202K
+2.9% in a year
Household income
$85K
median
Median age
43.6
years
Jobs based here
23
A commuter town
Settled
1807
219 years ago
Is West Alexander a good place to live?
Only one of the 1,038 Pennsylvania towns we compare has a lower share of working residents who work in town than West Alexander. West Alexander has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes West Alexander stand out
Where West Alexander beats most towns.
Small town
491 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
The data
Ordered by what stands out in West Alexander.
Work & commute
Compared with most of Pennsylvania and the rest of the country, fewer of West Alexander’s residents live below the poverty line
1%work in town
Just 1% of West Alexander’s working residents have a job in town. The mean commuting time locally is 31 minutes. For half of commuters, work is under 21 miles away. The top destinations are Washington (16%), Chartiers Township (6%) and North Strabane Township (5%).
| West Alexander | Typical Pennsylvania town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 1% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In West Alexander1%
Washington16%
Chartiers Township6%
North Strabane Township5%
Pittsburgh5%
21 mi
median commute distance
23
jobs based in West Alexander
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2024 · ACS
Housing
The typical home in West Alexander: about $202K
$202KZillow home value
In West Alexander, 90% of households are owner-occupiers. Typical home values rose 2.9% in the year to September 2026.
Typical home value
West Alexander$202K
Pennsylvania$287K
+2.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
West Alexander faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
25risk score of 100
West Alexander’s FEMA hazard score is recorded as 25 of 100. FEMA puts 87% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in three quarters of U.S. communities.
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In West Alexander, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
15″snow a winter
The midsummer high is 83°F, below both Pennsylvania’s towns (85°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–40°
Spring39–62°
Summer59–82°
Fall43–64°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
West Alexander stands out in Pennsylvania and nationally, with more of its adults who binge drink
The share of adults in West Alexander who get no exercise outside work is 23%, against 24% in Pennsylvania’s towns and 25% across U.S. towns. For adults locally, the share who have high blood pressure is 32%. Two figures for adults in the town: 9.9% have diabetes, 38% have obesity.
| West Alexander | Typical Pennsylvania town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 11% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
4 better22 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | West Alexander | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.9% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 3.2% | 3.7% |
Wheeling Hospital
10.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Alexander
15pages on West Alexander
The big questions
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All 71 attractions →Acrisure Stadium and 57 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Alexander. Close and well known come first.
Big draw35 mi Stadium & arenaAcrisure Stadium
35 mi LandmarkFort Duquesne
12 mi MuseumMeadowcroft Rockshelter
39 mi Theme parkKennywood
35 mi Stadium & arenaPNC Park
36 mi Stadium & arenaPPG Paints ArenaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Acrisure Stadium: Fo2grfr, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Duquesne: Sébastien Paquin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Meadowcroft Rockshelter: Lee Paxton, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kennywood: Ski2007 of English Wikipedia, Public domain · PNC Park: alpineinc, CC BY 2.0 · PPG Paints Arena: Jleedev, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
Moving to West Alexander: who provides what
West Alexander is unincorporated, so Washington County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerWest Penn PowerEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterDonegal Township water system7 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesWashington CountyWashington County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWashington County Board of ElectionsWashington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2023
ZIP code1537615376 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave West Alexander for work
Where West Alexander’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
23jobs based in West Alexander
1%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2024
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of West Alexander
West Liberty UniversityUniversity or college · Public · West Liberty, WV6.3 mi$8,893 in-state tuitionBethany CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bethany, WV7.3 mi$36,765 tuitionWest Virginia Northern Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Wheeling, WV11.6 mi$4,706 in-state tuition
About 13 of every 100 West Alexander residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About West Alexander
Unincorporated community in Pennsylvania, US
West Alexander is a census-designated place in Donegal Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, and formerly a borough in Washington County. Located less than a mile east of the border with West Virginia, the population was 604 at the 2010 census, just short of double the population of 320 recorded in the 2000 Census. The borough was dissolved into surrounding Donegal Township, effective January 1, 2009.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,332 ft
- ZIP code
- 15376
Questions about West Alexander
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Alexander, PA a good place to live?
West Alexander has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
West Alexander is in here
Say something about West Alexander.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.