Oakvale, West Virginia, 2016
Oakvale’s story
134 years in pictures
Census counts: 278 in 1910, 133 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1932 on.
- 1892Oakvale is settled
OakvaleWV
A town of 132, settled in 1892.
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Is Oakvale a good place to live?
57% of residents are under 18 in Oakvale, above both West Virginia’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (22%). Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a lower home-ownership rate than Oakvale. Oakvale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
132 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 Oakvale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Oakvale, and how to reach them.
PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWvawc Bluestone Plant water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Oakvale’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 hereMercer Clerk of the County CommissionMercer County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code2473924739 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 Oakvale.
Who lives here
More children than West Virginia overall
The bachelor’s-degree share among adults 25 and older is 24%, against 24% across West Virginia.
11.9median age · WV 42.7
OakvaleWest VirginiaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
30%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school68%
Some college1%
Associate’s0%
Bachelor’s14%
Graduate10%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 20% and 79% women
The Census survey reached too few of Oakvale’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±29.8 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Oakvale | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 29.9% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 26.8% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.4% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 3.9% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 4.3% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 4.3% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 2.8% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.7% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 68.3% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 1% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 0% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.4% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.6% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 100, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Oakvale has four seasons and pleasant summers
The town’s midsummer high is 83°F, below both the West Virginia town median (86°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
24″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–45°
Spring40–65°
Summer59–81°
Fall42–66°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
High risk in Oakvale, with inland flooding at the top
Of the losses FEMA expects in Oakvale, 79% come from inland flooding and 12% from cold waves. Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 62% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Oakvale after 6 declared disasters, most recently in 2025.
62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
10
paid flood claims since 1996
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
A larger share of adults report frequent mental distress in Oakvale than in most of West Virginia or the rest of the country
Oakvale: 37% of adults get no exercise outside work. Only one of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare has a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Oakvale. Among adults in the town, 35% have been diagnosed with depression and 23% smoke cigarettes.
| Oakvale | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 21% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 31% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
1 better23 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Oakvale | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 8.2% | 9.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 26.2% | 19.5% |
Princeton Community Hospital Assn
7.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Oakvale
14pages on Oakvale
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Oakvale
About 0 of every 100 Oakvale residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
About Oakvale
Town in West Virginia, United States
Oakvale is a town in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States, along the East River. The population was 137 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,578.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,722 ft
- Area code
- 304
Questions about Oakvale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Oakvale, WV a good place to live?
Oakvale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.