James S. Lakin House · National Register of Historic Places
Terra Alta’s story
143 years in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1883Terra Alta is settled
Terra AltaWV
Photo: Generic1139 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,413
2025 Census estimate · −0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$172K
+3.6% in a year
Household income
$51K
median
Median age
29.9
years
Jobs based here
186
A commuter town
Is Terra Alta a good place to live?
Terra Alta’s best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for health. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Terra Alta, above both West Virginia’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). On cost of living, just 6 of West Virginia’s 141 towns do better. The median household income is $51K, and 29% of residents live below the poverty line. Terra Alta has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them James S. Lakin House and Terra Alta Bank. Terra Alta has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Terra Alta stand out
Where Terra Alta beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Terra Alta$172K
West Virginia$177K
Cost of livingA+
2.7 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 99% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
James S. Lakin HouseHistoryB+
Settled in 1883
3 places on the National Register
A history going back 143 years.
Small town
1,413 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Terra Alta grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Terra Alta is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →HealthGarrett Regional Medical Center 7.8 miles awayD−Open →Jobs & incomeD−Open →SchoolsDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 31% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.8 of 20; 15.1% of households have no car; 2.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 2% conserved landB−Open →History3 places on the National RegisterB+Open →Civic life3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 29.9; 9% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Terra Alta: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Terra Alta, and how to reach them.
PowerMon Power14.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTerra Alta Water Works1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Terra Alta’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn West Virginia you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePreston Clerk of the County CommissionPreston County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code2676426764 100%Census 2020
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 Terra Alta.
HealthD−
On CDC estimates, Terra Alta is less healthy than 96% of U.S. towns
Terra Alta beats the West Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 24% of adults smoke cigarettes in Terra Alta, where West Virginia’s towns sit at 18% and U.S. towns at 14%. 33% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Terra Alta.
4%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Terra Alta | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 21% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 31% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
0 better24 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Terra Alta | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 26.2% | 19.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 20.5% | 16.2% |
| More smokers | 23.9% | 19.3% |
Garrett Regional Medical Center
7.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsD
Terra Alta’s public schools trail 89% of West Virginia districts
Its public schools are run by the Preston County Schools. Its one school is below.
11%of WV districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terra Alta/East Preston SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 283 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
With 0.4 jobs for every working resident, most of Terra Alta’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Terra Alta for work: only 4% work in town. Terra Alta’s average trip to work is 28 minutes. Since 2013, Terra Alta has lost 202 jobs, to 186 in 2023.
4%work in town
| Terra Alta | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.9% | 14% | 8% |
| Median household income | $51,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Terra Alta4%
Oakland11%
Kingwood5%
Morgantown5%
Mountain Lake Park2%
21 mi
median commute distance
186
jobs based in Terra Alta
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 48% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Terra Alta
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 69% of U.S. communities.
31risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong wind
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
A typical July afternoon in Terra Alta is cooler than in the typical West Virginia or U.S. town
The July high in Terra Alta is 78°F. Terra Alta has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain.
171″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–38°
Spring37–58°
Summer57–77°
Fall40–60°
Oct 11
typical first frost
May 7
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade A+
Terra Alta’s typical home value is about $172K
The typical Terra Alta home is worth about $172,000, up 3.6% in a year, close to the West Virginia typical home.
$172KZillow home value
| Terra Alta | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $742 a month | $878 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 68% | 73% |
Typical home value
Terra Alta$172K
West Virginia$177K
+3.6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1.6%conserved
| Terra Alta | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.6% | 2.5% | 4.3% |
1.6%
conserved · 12 of 753 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Terra Alta Community Park | 0.5 mi | 13 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 31 attractions →Fallingwater and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Terra Alta. Close and well known come first.
Big draw32 mi MuseumFallingwater
32 mi Park & preserveDolly Sods Wilderness
9 mi LakeDeep Creek Lake
26 mi Stadium & arenaMountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium
31 mi MountainMount Davis
25 mi National BattlefieldFort Necessity National Battlefield226K visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Fallingwater: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Dolly Sods Wilderness: Valerius Tygart, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Deep Creek Lake: Gohens84, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 · Mount Davis: Wikiuser100, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Necessity National Battlefield: Wilson44691, CC0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Terra Alta
18pages on Terra Alta
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Terra Alta
About 2 of every 100 Terra Alta residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Terra Alta for work
Where Terra Alta’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
186jobs based in Terra Alta
4%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
3 places in Terra Alta on the National Register of Historic Places.
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About Terra Alta
Town in West Virginia, United States
Terra Alta is a town in eastern Preston County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,415 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,582 ft
- ZIP code
- 26764
- Area code
- 304
Questions about Terra Alta
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Terra Alta, WV expensive?
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+.