Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,382, settled in 1797.
Oceana’s best subject grades are an A− for cost of living and walkability; its weakest is a D− for incomes. 43% of residents live below the poverty line in Oceana, against 16% in West Virginia’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. No town in West Virginia scores lower than Oceana on incomes. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 97% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Oceana has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Oceana beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Oceana is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 107 in 1880, a peak of 2,143 in 1980, 1,449 in 2020. The archive holds 15 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1910 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Oceana, 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 Oceana.
Oceana beats the West Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 23% of adults smoke cigarettes in Oceana, above both West Virginia’s towns (18%) and U.S. towns (14%). 19% of adults report frequent physical distress in Oceana.
| Oceana | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 31% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 21% | 17% |
| What stands out | Oceana | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 30.4% | 19.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 19.8% | 16.2% |
| More smokers | 23.1% | 19.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Wyoming County Schools. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin McKinney Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 372 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
The median household income in Oceana is $33,000. Jobs based in Oceana grew to 701 in 2023, 357 more than in 2013. Most working residents leave Oceana for work: only 9% work in town.
| Oceana | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $33,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 8.8% | 14% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Only 2 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher FEMA risk score than Oceana. Since 1979, 33 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Oceana.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical Oceana home is worth about $80,000, up 3.4% in a year, 55% below the West Virginia typical home. 60% of Oceana households own their home.
| Oceana | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 60% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $884 a month | $878 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Oceana has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 24° and about 21 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gilliland Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Oceana; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Oceana residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Where Oceana’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in West Virginia, US
Oceana is a town in Wyoming County, West Virginia. The population was 1,462 at the time of the 2020 census. Oceana is the oldest city in Wyoming County and was the county seat until 1907.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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−.