Valley HeadWV
With 462 residents, this town was settled in 1852.
Is Valley Head a good place to live?
1.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Valley Head, below both West Virginia’s towns (29%) and U.S. towns (29%). Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a higher home-ownership rate than Valley Head. 15% of the land in Valley Head is conserved, against 2.5% in West Virginia’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Monongahela National Forest, at 90 acres. Valley Head has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
462 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 Valley Head.
Top of a very high hazard risk in Valley Head: inland flooding
FEMA puts 93% of Valley Head’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 92% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Valley Head once, in 2016.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Valley Head has 0.0 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
For Valley Head, the average trip to work is 27 minutes. Half of commuters travel less than 28 miles. The top destinations are Elkins (21%), Charleston (6%) and Beverly (4%).
| Valley Head | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $83,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Typical home value
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
A typical July afternoon in Valley Head is cooler than in the typical West Virginia or U.S. town
Winters in Valley Head are chilly, snowy and summers pleasant, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 78°, January nights drop to 20° and about 67 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
14.5% of the land in Valley Head is protected from building
Trails total 0.2 miles in 2 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Monongahela National Forest | — | 90 |
| 2. Cheat Wildlife Management Area | — | 90 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Valley Head stands out in West Virginia and nationally: a larger share of its adults have obesity
Of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Valley Head. Valley Head: 55% of adults have high blood pressure.
| Valley Head | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 24% | 19% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 52% | 41% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 17% | 14% |
| What stands out | Valley Head | WV |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.4% | 79.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 35.8% | 19.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Valley Head
Monongahela National Forest and 6 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Valley Head. Close and well known come first.
8 mi National forestMonongahela National Forest
12 mi Scenic railwayCass Scenic Railroad State Park
33 mi MountainSpruce Mountain39 mi CaveHellhole9 mi Ski areaSnowshoe Mountain65 runs · 1,563 ft vertical
26 mi Zoo & aquariumWest Virginia State Wildlife CenterPhoto credits
Monongahela National Forest: Valerius Tygart, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cass Scenic Railroad State Park: Shayfan at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Spruce Mountain: Valerius Tygart, CC BY-SA 3.0 · West Virginia State Wildlife Center: Brian M. Powell (user Bitmapped on en.wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0
Moving to Valley Head: who provides what
Valley Head is unincorporated, so Randolph 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.
100% of working residents leave Valley Head for work
Where Valley Head’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Valley Head; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Valley Head residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
About Valley Head
Census-designated place in West Virginia, United States
Valley Head is a census-designated place (CDP) in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. Valley Head is located on U.S. Route 219, 12 miles (19 km) south-southwest of Huttonsville. Valley Head has a post office with ZIP code 26294. As of the 2020 census, its population was 207 (down from 267 at the 2010 census). The community was named for the nearby headwaters of the Tygart Valley River.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,372 ft
- ZIP code
- 26294
Questions about Valley Head
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Valley Head, WV a good place to live?
Valley Head has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
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