PinchWV
A town settled in 1921, now home to 4,037 people.
Is Pinch a good place to live?
The picture is mixed. Overall, Pinch earns a C, better than 30% of U.S. towns. It ranks 33rd of 61 in West Virginia. Walkability is its weak spot. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 90% of U.S. towns. Hazard risk is weaker too: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Its strongest is incomes: the median household earns $77K. Homes run about $222K for a typical one, 3.7 times the Charleston metro’s $60K median household income.
Figures: incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · home values, Zillow.
Pinch has shrunk 11% from 2010 to 2020
3,262 counted in 2010 and 2,914 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Pinch grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Pinch is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to Pinch: who provides what
Pinch is unincorporated, so Kanawha County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Pinch.
Pinch looks healthier within West Virginia than nationally and sends most of its workers to Charleston and beyond.
Top of a very high hazard risk in Pinch: inland flooding
91% of Pinch’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2003.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Pinch’s schools rank behind 59% of West Virginia districts
Public schools: the Kanawha County Schools. Its one school is below. 282 students attend Pinch’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinch Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 282 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
A smaller share of working residents in Pinch work locally than in the typical West Virginia or U.S. town
Pinch has 169 jobs for its 1,125 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. 18.7% of workers work from home, against 9.1% across West Virginia.
Pinch: 5.1% of residents live below the poverty line, against 17% in West Virginia’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Half commute less than 10 miles. The top destinations are Charleston (41%), South Charleston (9%) and St. Albans (2%).
| Pinch | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 14% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $77,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health in Pinch trails 71% of U.S. towns
Within West Virginia it is healthier than 83% of the 61 graded towns: much of West Virginia scores lower on these measures.
Among 61 West Virginia towns, just 5 have a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Pinch. 45% of Pinch adults have high blood pressure. Pinch: 16% of adults smoke cigarettes, where West Virginia’s towns sit at 18% and U.S. towns at 14%. Two figures for adults locally: 29% have been diagnosed with depression, 19% report frequent mental distress.
| Pinch | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 44% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 81% | 79% |
| What stands out | Pinch | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.4% | 19.5% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.9% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Pinch
A winter brings about 32 inches of snow, with January nights at 25° and July afternoons at 86°.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A home in Pinch sells for about $309K at the median
For Pinch, the rent at the middle of the market is $916 a month. The share of households in Pinch who own their home: 70%.
| Pinch | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $916 a month | $874 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Pinch
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Pinch
About 3 of every 100 Pinch residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
99% of working residents leave Pinch for work
Where Pinch’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Pinch
Census-designated place in West Virginia, United States
Pinch is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,914 at the 2020 census. It is located about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Charleston, adjacent to Elkview and roughly 2 miles (3 km) northwest of Big Chimney. The community lies along the Elk River and is surrounded by rolling hills. The community was named after nearby Pinch Creek.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 715 ft
- ZIP code
- 25156
Pinch’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Pinch.
Pinch reports no FBI crime data of its own. Elkview isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Pinch with a neighbor →
Questions about Pinch
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pinch, WV a good place to live?
Pinch grades C overall, better than 30% of U.S. towns and #33 of 61 in West Virginia. It grades C for health and C+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Pinch, WV expensive?
The typical home is worth about $222,000, 25% above the West Virginia typical home.