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West Virginia Independence HallWheeling, #1 on this list · Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture · CC BY-SA 4.0
West Virginia rankings · History

Most historic towns in West Virginia

Wheeling ranks first on history among West Virginia’s 61 towns of 2,500+; 29 of the 61 grade A− or better on history nationally.

The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. How grades work

#1

Wheeling

Ohio County · 25,680 people
A+

History grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C− · #41 of 61 in WV

#2

Philippi

Barbour County · 2,846 people
A+

History grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C− · #49 of 61 in WV

#3

Morgantown

Monongalia County · 30,293 people
A+

History grade, better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #10 of 61 in WV

All 61 towns

History grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

61 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1WheelingOhio County · 25,680 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall C− · #41 of 61
2PhilippiBarbour County · 2,846 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall C− · #49 of 61
3MorgantownMonongalia County · 30,293 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #10 of 61
4WestonLewis County · 3,736 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #40 of 61
5BuckhannonUpshur County · 5,054 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #47 of 61
6FairmontMarion County · 18,035 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #21 of 61
7ClarksburgHarrison County · 15,562 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #30 of 61
8CharlestonKanawha County · 46,117 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #58 of 61
9Charles TownJefferson County · 9,329 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #8 of 61
10MartinsburgBerkeley County · 19,211 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #35 of 61
11PrincetonMercer County · 5,578 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #44 of 61
12ParkersburgWood County · 28,593 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #32 of 61
13KingwoodPreston County · 2,937 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #29 of 61
14New MartinsvilleWetzel County · 5,039 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #34 of 61
15MoorefieldHardy County · 2,655 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #57 of 61
16ElkinsRandolph County · 6,622 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #51 of 61
17Point PleasantMason County · 3,869 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #43 of 61
18WilliamsonMingo County · 2,753 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #61 of 61
19BeckleyRaleigh County · 16,373 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #54 of 61
20GraftonTaylor County · 4,529 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #19 of 61
21MoundsvilleMarshall County · 7,659 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #24 of 61
22BluefieldMercer County · 9,158 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #55 of 61
23FayettevilleFayette County · 2,721 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #46 of 61
24HuntingtonCabell County · 44,815 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #56 of 61
25BarboursvilleCabell County · 4,307 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #48 of 61
26RavenswoodJackson County · 3,790 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #18 of 61
27LewisburgGreenbrier County · 3,721 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #59 of 61
28RipleyJackson County · 3,038 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #13 of 61
29St. AlbansKanawha County · 10,210 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #45 of 61
30WelchMcDowell County · 3,389 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #60 of 61
31BridgeportHarrison County · 9,427 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #6 of 61
32SummersvilleNicholas County · 3,297 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #28 of 61
33KeyserMineral County · 4,777 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #17 of 61
34WilliamstownWood County · 2,922 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 61
35Oak HillFayette County · 7,629 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #39 of 61
36Inwoodunincorporated, Berkeley County · 2,794 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #31 of 61
37MadisonBoone County · 2,678 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #20 of 61
38KenovaWayne County · 2,841 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #7 of 61
39MiltonCabell County · 2,792 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #50 of 61
40FollansbeeBrooke County · 2,668 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #25 of 61
41HurricanePutnam County · 7,367 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #5 of 61
42NitroKanawha County · 6,270 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #53 of 61
43WestoverMonongalia County · 4,086 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #14 of 61
44WeirtonHancock County · 18,133 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #26 of 61
45Ranson corporationJefferson County · 6,853 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #11 of 61
46BethlehemOhio County · 2,520 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #3 of 61
47DunbarKanawha County · 7,050 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #38 of 61
48ViennaWood County · 10,321 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #23 of 61
49Shady Springunincorporated, Raleigh County · 3,381 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #37 of 61
50South CharlestonKanawha County · 13,072 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #52 of 61
51Sissonvilleunincorporated, Kanawha County · 3,593 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #42 of 61
52Cheat Lakeunincorporated, Monongalia County · 10,902 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #1 of 61
53Brookhavenunincorporated, Monongalia County · 6,212 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #9 of 61
54Blennerhassettunincorporated, Wood County · 3,282 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #16 of 61
55Cullodenunincorporated, Cabell County · 3,040 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #22 of 61
56Pea Ridgeunincorporated, Cabell County · 6,988 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #27 of 61
57Pleasant ValleyMarion County · 3,457 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #12 of 61
58Cross Lanesunincorporated, Kanawha County · 9,671 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #15 of 61
59Shannondaleunincorporated, Jefferson County · 3,465 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #36 of 61
60Pinchunincorporated, Kanawha County · 4,037 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #33 of 61
61Teays Valleyunincorporated, Putnam County · 14,151 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #4 of 61
Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most historic town in West Virginia?

Wheeling (Ohio County) ranks first on history among 61 towns, with an A+; Philippi and Morgantown follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a history grade (61 in West Virginia). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the West Virginia page.

Go deeper

More West Virginia lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All West Virginia rankings →
Best places to live61 towns · #1 Cheat LakeBest small towns46 towns · #1 WilliamstownMost affordable towns61 towns · #1 FollansbeeSafest towns29 towns · #1 KenovaTowns with the best schools61 towns · #1 Hurricane and Teays ValleyHealthiest towns61 towns · #1 Cheat LakeBest towns for jobs & income61 towns · #1 Teays ValleyMost walkable towns61 towns · #1 KenovaTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk61 towns · #1 FayettevilleBest towns for the outdoors61 towns · #1 PhilippiTowns with the most civic life48 towns · #1 LewisburgTowns with the least snow61 towns · #1 KenovaDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns61 towns · #1 ElkinsDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters59 towns · #1 WilliamsonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers59 towns · #1 MoorefieldDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers59 towns · #1 Shady SpringDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes61 towns · #1 Cheat LakeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes61 towns · #1 GraftonDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns50 towns · #1 Charles TownDescribed, no letters
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