Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Romney’s subject grades are an A for cost of living, walkability, and history; the weakest is a D− for incomes. Romney’s average trip to work is 35 minutes, above both West Virginia’s towns (21 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 95% of the country. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 3 have a lower share of households owning their home than Romney. Its National Register listings include Wilson-Wodrow-Mytinger House and Literary Hall. Romney has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Romney beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Wilson-Wodrow-Mytinger House
Census counts: 456 in 1850, a low of 371 in 1880, 1,722 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1861 and 2 maps from 1920 on.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Romney is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Romney, 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 Romney.
19% of Romney adults report frequent physical distress, above both the West Virginia town median (17%) and the median of U.S. towns (14%). 32% of Romney adults have been diagnosed with depression. Romney beats the West Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
| Romney | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 31% | 23% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 32% | 25% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 12% |
| What stands out | Romney | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 29.4% | 19.5% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 51.4% | 55.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Hampshire County Schools. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Branch Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 467 | – |
| WV Schools for the Deaf & the BlindLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 51 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Romney for work: only 14% work in town. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Romney. Jobs based in Romney fell to 1,360 in 2023, 525 fewer than in 2013.
| Romney | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 26% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 14% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Romney home is worth about $236,000, up 3.7% in a year, 34% above the West Virginia typical home. The median rent in Romney is $616 a month.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Adults 18 to 34 are 11% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 46% of residents (38% statewide). Romney’s median age is 50.2 years. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Romney.
| Romney | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.2 years | 42.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 15% | 29% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 21% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 20% | 22% |
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.3 points. Across West Virginia, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Romney | WV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.8% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.6% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.9% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.5% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.1% | 12% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.1% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.5% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.3% | 12.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11% | 8.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 15.7% | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 50.1% | 39.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.6% | 17.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 2.7% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 7.3% | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.6% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,800, single groups can be off by several points
Romney has chilly winters and warm summers. Only 3 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher July high than Romney.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Romney's reported crime rate is close to West Virginia's. Only 3 of the 37 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher violent crime rate than Romney.
| Romney | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 6.3 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 6.3 per 1,000 residents | 14.7 | 11.5 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Romney.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Homewood Preserve | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Romney
About 2 of every 100 Romney residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Where Romney’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
8 places in Romney on the National Register of Historic Places.
14 notable people were born in Romney.
City in West Virginia, US
Romney is a town in Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 1,722 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Winchester, Virginia metropolitan area. The town was established in 1762 along with Shepherdstown; together, they are the two oldest towns in West Virginia.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
14 notable people were born here, including Stephen Ailes and Thomas F. Mulledy.
