Handley, West Virginia, 2014
Handley’s story
149 years in pictures
Census counts: 633 in 1980, 223 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 6 maps from 1910 on.
- 1877Handley is established
HandleyWV
A town of 210, established in 1877.
Photo: Magnolia677 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
210
2025 Census estimate · −5.8% since 2020
Typical home
$49K
−12.5% in a year
Household income
$105K
median
Median age
46.4
years
Jobs based here
34
A commuter town
Is Handley a good place to live?
No town among the 62 in West Virginia we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Handley. Handley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
210 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Handley: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Handley, and how to reach them.
PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWest Virginia American WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers88% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Handley’s trash rules yet
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 hereKanawha Clerk of the County CommissionKanawha County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP code2510225102 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 Handley.
Housing
Handley stands out in West Virginia and nationally, with more of its households who own their home
96% of households own their home in Handley, against 68% in West Virginia’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns. Typical home values fell 12% in the year to September 2026.
$49KZillow home value
Typical home value
Handley$49K
West Virginia$177K
−12.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Handley is higher than in most of West Virginia or the rest of the country
Handley’s FEMA risk score is 99 of 100, above both the West Virginia town median (69 of 100) and the median of U.S. towns (44 of 100).
99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Handley has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Handley for work: only 2% work in town. 3.8% of Handley residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Charleston (26%), South Charleston (11%) and Montgomery (3%).
2%work in town
| Handley | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 14% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Handley2%
Charleston26%
South Charleston11%
Montgomery3%
Beckley3%
19 mi
median commute distance
34
jobs based in Handley
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Handley, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Handley has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 26° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–46°
Spring43–67°
Summer63–84°
Fall46–68°
Nov 4
typical first frost
Apr 7
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Handley is
Handley beats the West Virginia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 27% of adults smoke cigarettes in Handley. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 1 have a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Handley.
| Handley | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 21% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 31% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
1 better22 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Handley | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 24.3% | 16.2% |
Montgomery General Hospital
2.8 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 11 attractions →New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and 6 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Handley. Close and well known come first.
14 mi National PreserveNew River Gorge National Park and Preserve2.0M visitors a year
21 mi Ancient siteCriel Mound
24 mi Park & preserveThe Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve
23 mi MuseumThurmond17 mi MuseumWest Virginia State Museum
14 mi National Recreation AreaGauley River National Recreation Area214K visitors a yearSources: 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 · Criel Mound: David G. Simpson, Public domain · 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 · Gauley River National Recreation Area: Wwkayaker22 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Handley
16pages on Handley
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Handley; the nearest are
University of CharlestonUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Charleston16.4 mi$33,800 tuitionBridgeValley Community & Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · South Charleston20.8 mi$5,800 in-state tuitionWest Virginia State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Institute24.9 mi$9,570 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Handley residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Handley for work
Where Handley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
34jobs based in Handley
2%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Handley
Town in West Virginia, United States
Handley is a town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 224 at the 2020 census. Handley was first established in 1877 and known as Upper Creek until July 29, 1881, when its name was changed to Handley for pioneer settlers who farmed the area. Handley has the distinction of bearing a name like no other town in the United States. The town was incorporated November 1972. Handley is located in the Upper Kanawha Valley on the south side of the Kanawha River on West Virginia Route 61, along the Chesapeake & Ohio Railways (Now CSX Transportation). Railroad yards moved here from nearby Montgomery in 1899. Trains and barges hauled coal for the Chesapeake Mining Company …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 643 ft
- ZIP code
- 25102
- Area code
- 304
Questions about Handley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Handley, WV a good place to live?
Handley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.