Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,180, settled in 1910.
Rainelle’s best subject grade is an A for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for health. 30% of residents live below the poverty line in Rainelle, above both the West Virginia town median (16%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 3 of West Virginia’s 141 towns score lower on health. The median household income is $36K, and 30% of residents live below the poverty line. Rainelle has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Rainelle beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | Rainelle | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 28.4% | 16.2% |
1,505 counted in 2010 and 1,190 in 2020; an estimated 1,180 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Rainelle is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 566 in 1920, a peak of 2,408 in 1950, 1,190 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and 3 maps from 1912 on.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Rainelle. Close and well known come first.
9 mi National PreserveNew River Gorge National Park and Preserve2.0M visitors a year
28 mi LandmarkProject Greek Island
19 mi Park & preserveThe Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve
17 mi MuseumThurmond
20 mi MuseumLost World Caverns
14 mi National Recreation AreaGauley River National Recreation Area214K visitors a yearNew River Gorge National Park and Preserve: NKS22, Public domain · Project Greek Island: Z22, CC BY-SA 4.0 · The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve: Lisa Strader, CC BY 2.0 · Thurmond: Brian M. Powell (user Bitmapped on en.wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lost World Caverns: Lee Paxton, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gauley River National Recreation Area: Wwkayaker22 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rainelle, 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 Rainelle.
37% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Rainelle, against 24% in West Virginia’s towns and 19% across U.S. towns. 25% of adults report frequent mental distress in Rainelle. Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Rainelle.
| Rainelle | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 24% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 21% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 17% | 14% |
| What stands out | Rainelle | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 28.4% | 16.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 33% | 19.5% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 18.1% | 11% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Greenbrier County Schools. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainelle ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 197 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Rainelle for work: only 11% work in town. Rainelle’s average trip to work is 32 minutes. Jobs based in Rainelle grew to 757 in 2023, 215 more than in 2013.
| Rainelle | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $36,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 14% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Rainelle home is worth about $80,000, up 16.9% in a year, 55% below the West Virginia typical home. The median rent in Rainelle is $663 a month.
| Rainelle | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 61% | 48% | 48% |
| Median rent | $663 a month | $878 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 94% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 130 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Rainelle.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Rainelle has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 79°, January nights drop to 21° and about 100 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
0.2 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
| Rainelle | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 2.5% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rainelle Town Park | — | 3 |
| 2. Rainelle Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Rainelle; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Rainelle residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Town in West Virginia, United States
Rainelle is a town on the western edge of Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. It sits at the base of Sewell Mountain and Sims Mountain, and is bisected by the Meadow River. The only means of transportation to and from Rainelle are roads; primarily US 60 and WV 20, which merge on the western end of the town, and the James River and Kanawha Turnpike, which enters from the south. The population was 1,190 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
