Ebenezer Chapel · National Register of Historic Places
Marmet’s story
126 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1973.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1900Marmet is settled
MarmetWV
A town of 1,416, settled in 1900.
Ebenezer Chapel · Photo: Coal town guy · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,416
2025 Census estimate · −5.3% since 2020
Typical home
$99K
−4.7% in a year
Household income
$52K
median
Median age
55.8
years
Jobs based here
412
A commuter town
Is Marmet a good place to live?
Marmet’s best subject grades are an A for cost of living and walkability; its weakest is a D− for health. Marmet’s median age is 55.8 years, above both the West Virginia town median (42.2 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). On walkability, just 9 of West Virginia’s 141 towns do better. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 97% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Only 8 of West Virginia’s 89 towns score lower on civic life. Ebenezer Chapel is on the National Register of Historic Places. Marmet has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Marmet stand out
Where Marmet beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Marmet$99K
West Virginia$177K
Cost of livingA
1.6 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 93% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
13.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
32 measures vs. West Virginia
0 better17 too close to call15 worse
| Widest gap | Marmet | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 30% | 19.5% |
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Less healthy than 99% of U.S. towns
Trails WV on 15 of 32 CDC measures, beats it on none
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Small town
1,416 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Marmet grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Marmet is from typical.
HealthNear the bottom of U.S. towns on CDC estimates; Charleston Area Medical Center 7.5 miles awayD−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.7 of 20; 14.8% of households have no carAOpen →Jobs & incomeCOpen →SchoolsBehind 59% of West Virginia districts on tests and graduationC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 3% conserved landB−Open →History1 place on the National Register; 1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life1.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Marmet: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Marmet, and how to reach them.
PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWest Virginia American WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Marmet’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 code2531525315 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 Marmet.
HealthD−
A larger share of adults report frequent physical distress in Marmet than in most of West Virginia or the rest of the country
21% of adults report frequent physical distress in Marmet, where West Virginia’s towns sit at 17% and U.S. towns at 14%. 23% of adults report frequent mental distress in Marmet. Only 4 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Marmet.
1%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Marmet | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 17% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 44% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 32% | 25% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
0 better17 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Marmet | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 30% | 19.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 23.2% | 16.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 14% | 10.6% |
Charleston Area Medical Center
7.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Very high risk in Marmet, with inland flooding at the top
Only 2 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher FEMA risk score than Marmet. Since 1978, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Marmet.
97risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
8
paid flood claims since 1978
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A
The typical home in Marmet is valued at about $99K
The typical Marmet home is worth about $99,000, down 4.7% in a year, 44% below the West Virginia typical home. Marmet’s median rent is $854 a month.
$99KZillow home value
| Marmet | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $854 a month | $878 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 68% | 73% |
Typical home value
Marmet$99K
West Virginia$177K
−4.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About two in five of Marmet’s working residents commute to Charleston
Most working residents leave Marmet for work: only 2% work in town. Jobs based in Marmet fell to 412 in 2023, 197 fewer than in 2013. The median household income in Marmet is $52,000.
2%work in town
| Marmet | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.2% | 14% | 8% |
| Median household income | $52,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Marmet2%
Charleston40%
South Charleston6%
Huntington2%
Dunbar2%
10 mi
median commute distance
412
jobs based in Marmet
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Older than West Virginia overall
People 65 and older are 32% of residents (21% statewide); children under 18 are 11% of residents (20% statewide). 19% of Marmet adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 2 have a lower share of children under 18 than Marmet.
55.8median age · WV 42.7
| Marmet | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 11% | 20% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 19% | 29% | 29% |
MarmetWest VirginiaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma14%
High school48%
Some college14%
Associate’s5%
Bachelor’s16%
Graduate3%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.6 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Marmet | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.5% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.7% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.7% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 18.8% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 18.2% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 13.6% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 14% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 47.8% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 14% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.9% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 3.2% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Marmet has four seasons and pleasant summers
Marmet has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 25° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–46°
Spring43–68°
Summer63–85°
Fall46–69°
Oct 26
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB−
Marmet has set aside 3.1% of its land for conservation
0.4 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
3.1%conserved
| Marmet | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.1% | 2.5% | 4.3% |
3.1%
conserved · 27 of 896 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bill Wells Community Park | 0.3 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Marmet
19pages on Marmet
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Marmet
University of CharlestonUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Charleston6.4 mi$33,800 tuitionBridgeValley Community & Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · South Charleston10 mi$5,800 in-state tuitionWest Virginia State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Institute13.9 mi$9,570 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Marmet residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Marmet for work
Where Marmet’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
412jobs based in Marmet
2%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Marmet
City in West Virginia, US
Marmet (pronounced mar-MET) is a town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States, along the Kanawha River. The population was 1,501 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 610 ft
- Area code
- 304
Questions about Marmet
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Marmet, WV expensive?
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.