Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 4,777, settled in 1852.
Keyser gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $181K for a typical one, or 2.9 years of the Cumberland area’s $62K median household income. It grades B− overall, 17th among West Virginia's 61 graded towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $47K, and 32% of residents live below the poverty line, and FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 72% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. On the plus side, it is more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns. 32% of residents live below the poverty line in Keyser, against 16% in West Virginia’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Keyser is home to Potomac State College of West Virginia University. Keyser's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 93% of U.S. towns.
Where Keyser beats most towns.
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Potomac State College of West Virginia University | 932 |
5,439 counted in 2010 and 4,864 in 2020; an estimated 4,777 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Keyser is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,693 in 1880, a peak of 6,586 in 1970, 4,864 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1865 and 4 maps from 1920 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Keyser, 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 Keyser.
Keyser is healthier than towns with similar incomes and trades workers with Cumberland and other neighbors, but it has poverty well above the West Virginia rate.
Against the 4,644 U.S. towns with household incomes like Keyser’s, it is healthier than 66%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income. Within West Virginia it is healthier than 78% of the 61 graded towns: much of West Virginia scores lower on these measures.
Keyser beats the West Virginia average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 31% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Keyser. Only 6 of the 61 West Virginia towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have high blood pressure than Keyser.
| Keyser | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 31% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 21% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 44% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 12% |
| What stands out | Keyser | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with COPD | 8.4% | 10.6% |
| Fewer smokers | 15.5% | 19.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Mineral County Schools. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyser Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 633 | C− |
| Mineral County Alternative ProgramLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 4 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
102 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 14 properties have flooded more than once.
Since 1978, 102 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Keyser.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keyser has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. Among 61 West Virginia towns, just 2 have a higher July high than Keyser.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keyser has about as many jobs (1,808) as working residents, but only 208 people both live and work here. Jobs based here fell from 2,773 in 2013 to 1,808.
Most working residents leave Keyser for work: only 11% work in town. The average trip to work in Keyser is 17 minutes. Jobs based in Keyser fell to 1,808 in 2023, 965 fewer than in 2013.
| Keyser | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $47,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 14% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keyser's reported crime rate is close to West Virginia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 12 violent crimes were reported in 2024.
| Keyser | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 2.5 per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.7 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 12.4 per 1,000 residents | 14.8 | 11.5 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
31.8% of residents live below the poverty line, against 16.7% across West Virginia, which weighs on its D− for jobs and income. Only 51.4% of households own their home, against 74.9% across West Virginia.
Adults 18 to 34 are 25% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 34% of residents (38% statewide). 18% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 24% across West Virginia.
| Keyser | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 18% | 29% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 18% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 38.3 years | 42.3 years | 40.5 years |
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.6 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Keyser | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.1% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.7% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 12.8% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.6% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.7% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.9% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 17.4% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.4% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 13% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 40.7% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.8% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.5% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 9.2% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.8% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,800, single groups can be off by several points
51% of Keyser households own their home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0.2 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. Keyser’s trail density is 0.1 miles per square mile.
| Keyser | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 2.5% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mill Meadow Park | — | 11 |
| 2. West End Playground | — | 2 |
| 3. South End Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Keyser. Close and well known come first.
37 mi Park & preserveDolly Sods Wilderness
26 mi MountainMount Davis
22 mi LakeDeep Creek Lake
16 mi National Historical ParkChesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park4.6M visitors a year
19 mi LandmarkFort Cumberland
36 mi WaterfallBlackwater FallsDolly Sods Wilderness: Valerius Tygart, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Davis: Wikiuser100, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Deep Creek Lake: Gohens84, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park: Bonnachoven, CC0 · Fort Cumberland: Unknown, Public domain · Blackwater Falls: Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant), CC BY-SA 2.5
2 within 15 miles of the center of Keyser
About 12 of every 100 Keyser residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
5 notable people were born in Keyser.
City in West Virginia, United States
Keyser () is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland micropolitan area. The population was 4,853 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Keyser grades B− overall, better than 50% of U.S. towns and #17 of 61 in West Virginia. It grades C for health and B+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
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 A−.
5 notable people were born here, including Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Harley Orrin Staggers.
