Photo: Mgoudy85 · Public domainParkersburg spent more per resident in 2022 than 91% of similar cities
Parkersburg’s city government spent $55.4 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,911 per resident. That is its newest year reported to the Census Bureau. Water and other utilities ($3.6 million) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Parkersburg is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$1,911 per resident in 2022: more than 91% of them
Parkersburg’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,911 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 138 West Virginia cities that don’t run their own schools: the median was $725, and the middle half spent $386–$1,154. Parkersburg spent more than 91% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($6.3 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
West Virginia cities that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Parkersburg itself left out).
About $1,911 per resident a year, or $5.24 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 19%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Parkersburg reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau (2023, 2024 are estimates), so there is no trend yet.
full-time in March 2025, down from 334 in 2022.
The typical homeowner pays $820 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.67% of the home’s value, vs 0.53% across West Virginia.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Parkersburg’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Parkersburg’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Parkersburg →
Who’s in charge in Parkersburg
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Parkersburg’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on parkersburg-wv.com ↗.
One full-time city employee for every 90 residents
On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (29,009).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Wood County School District
Parkersburg’s K–12 school district, shared with North Hills, Vienna, Williamstown. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,212 per pupil, $8,716 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
West Virginia districts overall: 36% local, 46% state, 18% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Parkersburg’s votes are counted by county
West Virginia reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Parkersburg alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Wood County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican70.7%26,380 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat27.6%10,317 votesOthers: 1.7% (616 votes).
Most votes in Wood County: Donald J Trump
West Virginia: Trump 70.0%, Harris 28.1%
100% of Parkersburg lies in Wood County. Every 2024 race in Wood County is on the county’s page.
Wood County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Parkersburg sends 4 representatives to the West Virginia House alone.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: parkersburg-wv.com ↗
- 2West Virginia House of DelegatesParkersburg is split between 4 districts
- 3West Virginia SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of West Virginia
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Parkersburg compares with the towns next door
Parkersburg spent $1,911 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Vienna | estimate | $1,113 |
| Parkersburg | $1,911 | $820 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Parkersburg’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Parkersburg’s government
How much does Parkersburg spend per resident?
About $1,911 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,911 was more than 91% of 138 West Virginia cities that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Parkersburg?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $820 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.67% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.53% across West Virginia. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see parkersburg-wv.com.
Who runs Parkersburg’s government?
See parkersburg-wv.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Parkersburg yet.
How did Parkersburg vote in 2024?
West Virginia counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Parkersburg alone. Wood County, where 100% of Parkersburg lies, voted Trump 70.7%, Harris 27.6% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Parkersburg?
321 full-time and 46 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $1.4M (about $17.2M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Parkersburg in the state legislature?
Parkersburg is split among 4 House of Delegates districts, so your address decides. The West Virginia Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Its State Senate district is District 3 (Mike Azinger and Trenton Barnhart). Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Parkersburg’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →