Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Buckhannon gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $159K, 2.9 years of the county’s $54K median household income. It grades C− overall, ranked 47th of 61 in West Virginia. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its schools rank behind 91% of the state's, and FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 78% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. On the plus side, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 96% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns, with 5 places on the National Register. On history, just 7 of West Virginia’s 141 towns do better. Buckhannon is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College. Among 61 West Virginia towns, just 4 have a lower share of residents 65 or older than Buckhannon.
Where Buckhannon beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Agnes Howard Hall| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Buckhannon Academy Elementary School | PK–5 | 487 |
| Fred W Eberle Tech Center | 10–12 | — |
Census counts: 427 in 1860, a peak of 7,261 in 1970, 5,186 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1892 and 2 maps from 1977 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Buckhannon is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Buckhannon, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Buckhannon.
Buckhannon is shaped by its college students, draws workers from Elkins and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
4,034 jobs are based in Buckhannon, 2.2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 20.3 minutes, against 26.6 across West Virginia.
In Buckhannon, 26% of working residents work locally. 22% of Buckhannon residents live below the poverty line, where West Virginia’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The income of the median household locally is $55,000. The top destinations are Bridgeport (4%), Clarksburg (4%) and Elkins (3%).
| Buckhannon | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 26% | 13% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Upshur County Schools runs its public schools. Its two schools are below. Enrollment at Buckhannon’s public school: 487 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckhannon Academy Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 487 | C |
| Fred W Eberle Tech CenterLargest public high schoolGrades 10–12 | Grades 10–12 | – | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
26% of residents are enrolled in college, against 5.1% statewide, which pulls the median age down.
Among adults 25 and older in Buckhannon, 24% hold a bachelor’s degree or more. 14% of Buckhannon residents are under 18, below both the West Virginia town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). This West Virginia town is shrinking: down 2.6% since 2020, to 5,054 residents (2025 estimate). Adults 18 to 34 are 39% of residents (21% statewide); people 65 and older are 14% of residents (21% statewide).
| Buckhannon | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 14% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 32.8 years | 42.3 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 29% | 29% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.1 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Buckhannon | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.9% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.3% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 27.6% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.1% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.1% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.9% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.7% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 39.1% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.4% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.4% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.9% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.4% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Against the 7,304 U.S. towns with household incomes like Buckhannon’s, it is less healthy than 64%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income. Within West Virginia it is healthier than 70% of the 61 graded towns: much of West Virginia scores lower on these measures.
For adults in Buckhannon, the share who have diabetes is 14%. The town does better than the West Virginia average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 2. Among 61 West Virginia towns, just 3 have a lower share of adults who have obesity than Buckhannon. 32% of adults locally have been diagnosed with depression; 36% feel lonely.
| Buckhannon | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 21% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 31% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 34% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 41% | 35% |
| What stands out | Buckhannon | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 13.9% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Fewer adults getting cholesterol checked | 82.9% | 86.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
267 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 43 properties have flooded more than once.
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Buckhannon after 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2026. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 88% come from inland flooding. Since 1978, 267 flood insurance claims have been paid out locally.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Buckhannon’s midsummer high stands at 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Values rose 3% in the 12 months to September 2026. The share of households in Buckhannon who own their home: 63%. Also worth knowing: the town’s typical rent comes in at $885 a month.
| Buckhannon | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 63% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $885 a month | $874 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Walkers can cover 0.7 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. In Buckhannon, the density of trails is 0.3 miles per square mile.
| Buckhannon | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 2.5% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. North End Park | 0.3 mi | 7 |
| 2. Buckhannon City Park | 0.1 mi | 15 |
| 3. Jawbone Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Within West Virginia, it does better than 71% of towns. Buckhannon’s level of property crime is 8.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Buckhannon | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.4 per 1,000 residents | 16.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.4 per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
1 within 15 miles of the center of Buckhannon
College town 26 of every 100 Buckhannon residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Where Buckhannon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
5 places in Buckhannon on the National Register of Historic Places.
11 notable people were born in Buckhannon.
City in Upshur County, West Virginia, US
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States. Located along the Buckhannon River, the population was 5,299 as of the 2020 census. The city is 46 miles (74 km) southwest of Morgantown, 88 miles (142 km) northeast of the capital city of Charleston, and 100 miles (160 km) south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, held annually during the third week of May.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Buckhannon grades C− overall, better than 18% of U.S. towns and #47 of 61 in West Virginia. It grades C− for health, B− for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Within West Virginia, it does better than 71% of towns.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
11 notable people were born here, including Jayne Anne Phillips and John G. Jackson.
