ReaderWV
Settled in 1887, this town now has 193 residents.
Is Reader a good place to live?
Reader’s midpoint age is 57.1 years, against 42.2 years in West Virginia’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. Only 3 of the 53 West Virginia towns we compare have a lower typical home value than Reader. Reader has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
193 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Reader: who provides what
Reader is unincorporated, so Wetzel 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 Reader.
The FEMA risk score in Reader is higher than in the typical West Virginia or U.S. town
FEMA puts 95% of Reader’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Federal aid has come to Reader households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2008. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 99% of U.S. communities.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The schools Reader’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to the Wetzel County Schools. Enrollment at Reader’s public school: 364 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Line SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 364 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
The typical home in Reader is valued at about $106K
For households in Reader, the share who are owner-occupiers is 80%. Values rose 5.5% in the 12 months to September 2026.
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
In Reader, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Summer afternoons peak near 85° in July, and January nights bottom out around 22°; snowfall runs to about 27 inches a winter. Reader brings chilly winters and warm summers.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Reader has 0.9 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Half the trips to work are shorter than 26 miles. 2.6% of working residents work locally in Reader. The top destinations are New Martinsville (18%), Pine Grove (8%) and Wheeling (6%).
| Reader | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.6% | 14% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Reader stands out in West Virginia and nationally: a larger share of its adults get no exercise outside work
The share of adults in Reader who smoke cigarettes: 26%. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Reader. Two figures for adults here: 21% have diabetes, 22% report frequent physical distress. CDC measures, 32 in all: Reader beats West Virginia on 2 and trails on 15.
| Reader | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 18% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 32% | 25% |
| What stands out | Reader | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.2% | 79.5% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 89% | 86.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 34.4% | 19.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Reader
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Reader; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Reader residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Questions about Reader
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Reader, WV a good place to live?
Reader has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.