ScarbroWV
Settled in 1900, this town now has 176 residents.
Is Scarbro a good place to live?
31% of residents live below the poverty line in Scarbro, above both West Virginia’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Scarbro. Scarbro has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
176 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Scarbro.
Compared with most of West Virginia and the rest of the country, more of Scarbro’s households live in a home they own
Home values are down 2.6% over the year to September 2026.
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Scarbro has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
The median commute is under 17 miles. Since 2013, Scarbro has added 69 jobs, to 72 in 2023. Commuting out is the norm in the town: 1% of working residents work locally. The top destinations are Beckley (13%), Charleston (11%) and Oak Hill (8%).
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Scarbro
Its peak summer temperature comes in at 82°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Scarbro is
Scarbro: 47% of adults sleep under 7 hours. Only 5 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Scarbro.
| Scarbro | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 40% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 21% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 31% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 18% | 14% |
| What stands out | Scarbro | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults sleeping under 7 hours | 47.4% | 40.7% |
| Fewer adults screened for colon cancer | 60.7% | 66.5% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 50.8% | 55.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Moderate risk in Scarbro, with inland flooding at the top
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Scarbro after 7 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. On expected storm and flood damage, Scarbro sits above 56% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Scarbro break down as 73% from inland flooding and 12% from lightning.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Scarbro
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and 6 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Scarbro. Close and well known come first.
in town National PreserveNew River Gorge National Park and Preserve2.0M visitors a year
4 mi Park & preserveThe Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve
5 mi MuseumThurmond
11 mi MuseumPhillips-Sprague Mine
17 mi National Recreation AreaGauley River National Recreation Area214K visitors a year36 mi MuseumWest Virginia State MuseumPhoto credits
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve: NKS22, Public domain · 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 · Phillips-Sprague Mine: Coal town guy, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gauley River National Recreation Area: Wwkayaker22 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
Moving to Scarbro: who provides what
Scarbro is unincorporated, so Fayette 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.
99% of working residents leave Scarbro for work
Where Scarbro’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Scarbro
About 1 of every 100 Scarbro residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
About Scarbro
Census-designated place in West Virginia, United States
Scarbro is a census-designated place (CDP) and coal town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. Scarbro is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southwest of Oak Hill. Scarbro has a post office with ZIP code 25917. As of the 2020 census, its population was 461 (down from 486 at the 2010 census).
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,736 ft
- ZIP code
- 25917
Questions about Scarbro
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Scarbro, WV a good place to live?
Scarbro has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Say something about Scarbro.
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