1, WV, USA - panoramio (1), 2016
Ghent’s story
123 years in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2016 and 4 maps from 1914 on.
- 1903Ghent is settled
GhentWV
Home to 290 people, the town was settled in 1903.
Photo: Idawriter · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
290
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$296K
+4.2% in a year
Household income
$110K
median
Median age
48.2
years
Jobs based here
171
Balanced
Is Ghent a good place to live?
Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Ghent. Ghent has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
290 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Ghent: who provides what
Ghent is unincorporated, so Raleigh County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCool Ridge Flat Top PSD1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesRaleigh CountyRaleigh County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn West Virginia you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereRaleigh Clerk of the County CommissionRaleigh County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code2584325843 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ghent.
Housing
A typical Ghent home is worth about $296K
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 4.2% in value.
$296KZillow home value
Typical home value
Ghent$296K
West Virginia$177K
+4.2%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Ghent’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Raleigh County Schools. Ghent’s only public school teaches 201 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghent ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 201 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Compared with most of West Virginia and the rest of the country, a typical July afternoon in Ghent is cooler
The seasons in Ghent: chilly, snowy winters, pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 78°, January nights drop to 21° and about 38 inches of snow falls in a winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–41°
Spring39–60°
Summer58–76°
Fall42–61°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most people working in Ghent commute elsewhere
The top destinations are Beckley (22%), Charleston (5%) and Sophia (3%). Commuting out is the norm in Ghent: 4% of working residents work locally. Employers in Ghent added 72 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 171. Half commute less than 14 miles.
4%work in town
Where working residents work
In Ghent4%
Beckley22%
Charleston5%
Sophia3%
Pineville2%
14 mi
median commute distance
171
jobs based in Ghent
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Ghent has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. 87% of Ghent’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding. Federal aid has come to Ghent households in 5 declared disasters; the latest was in 2012.
63risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
More of Ghent’s adults report frequent physical distress than in the typical West Virginia or U.S. town
Just over a tenth of Ghent adults binge drink. Only 5 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Ghent. What’s more, among adults in the town, 32% say their health is fair or poor, where West Virginia’s towns sit at 24% and U.S. towns at 19%. CDC measures, 32 in all: Ghent beats West Virginia on 1 and trails on 12.
| Ghent | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 51% | 44% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 24% | 19% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
1 better19 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Ghent | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.4% | 79.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 14.5% | 10.6% |
Beckley VA Medical Center
11.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 15 attractions →New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ghent. Close and well known come first.
10 mi National PreserveNew River Gorge National Park and Preserve2.0M visitors a year
36 mi LakeMountain Lake
20 mi Park & preserveThe Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve
23 mi MuseumThurmond
7 mi National park siteBluestone National Scenic River12K visitors a year
39 mi MuseumLost World CavernsSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve: NKS22, Public domain · Mountain Lake: Rolfmueller, CC BY-SA 3.0 · The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve: Lisa Strader, CC BY 2.0 · Thurmond: Brian M. Powell (user Bitmapped on en.wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bluestone National Scenic River: Dave Bieri, Public domain · Lost World Caverns: Lee Paxton, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ghent
16pages on Ghent
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Ghent
New River Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Beaver10.4 mi$5,156 in-state tuitionWest Virginia University Institute of TechnologyUniversity or college · Public · Beckley11.7 mi$8,424 in-state tuitionConcord UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Athens14.5 mi$10,664 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Ghent residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
About Ghent
Census-designated place in West Virginia, United States
Ghent is a census-designated place in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 582 (up from 457 at the 2010 census).
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,904 ft
- ZIP code
- 25843
- Area code
- 304
Questions about Ghent
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ghent, WV a good place to live?
Ghent has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.