West Liberty Presbyterian Church · National Register of Historic Places
West Liberty’s story
West Liberty in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →West LibertyWV
A town of 1,429. Public schools that outperform most of West Virginia.
West Liberty Presbyterian Church · Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
1,429
2025 Census estimate · −1.5% since 2020
Typical home
$152K
+5.7% in a year
Household income
$44K
median
Median age
20.7
years
Jobs based here
351
A commuter town
Is West Liberty a good place to live?
West Liberty’s best subject grades are an A for schools and an A− for health and history; its weakest is a D− for incomes. 5.1% of residents are 65 or older in West Liberty, where West Virginia’s towns sit at 21% and U.S. towns at 18%. On health, just 1 of West Virginia’s 141 towns do better. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 79% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. West Liberty is home to West Liberty University. West Liberty has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes West Liberty stand out
Where West Liberty beats most towns.
Ohio County Schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| West Liberty Elementary School | PK–5 | 124 |
SchoolsA
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
32 measures vs. West Virginia
15 better10 too close to call7 worse
| Widest gap | West Liberty | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 2% | 8.7% |
HealthA−
Healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Beats WV on 15 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on 7
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
West Liberty Presbyterian ChurchHistoryA−
3 historic places
3 places on the National Register
Listed for their history, architecture or both.
College town
78% of West Liberty is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How West Liberty grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far West Liberty is from typical.
Jobs & income$44K median household incomeD−Open →SchoolsAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →HealthWheeling Hospital 8.5 miles awayA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.3 of 20; 0.9% of households have no car; 27.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
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 20.7; 40% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to West Liberty: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Liberty, and how to reach them.
PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOhio County PSDNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have West Liberty’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 hereOhio County Elections ClerkOhio County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Mar 2024
ZIP codes26074, 2600326074 90% · 26003 10%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 West Liberty.
SchoolsA
Public schools in West Liberty beat 91% of West Virginia districts
Its public schools are run by the Ohio County Schools. Its one school is below.
91%of WV districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Liberty Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 124 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
A smaller share of adults in West Liberty have diabetes than in the typical West Virginia or U.S. town
3.8% of West Liberty adults have diabetes, below both West Virginia’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (12%). 37% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in West Liberty. No town among the 62 in West Virginia we compare has a lower share of adults who have obesity than West Liberty.
83%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| West Liberty | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 3.8% | 16% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 21% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.8% | 17% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 14% | 16% |
32 measures vs. West Virginia
15 better10 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | West Liberty | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 2% | 8.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 1% | 4.2% |
| More binge drinkers | 21.5% | 14.1% |
Wheeling Hospital
8.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
High risk in West Liberty, with inland flooding at the top
Since 2013, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in West Liberty.
79risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
2
paid flood claims since 2013
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
West Liberty stands out in West Virginia and nationally: a larger share of its residents live below the poverty line
34% of West Liberty residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in West Liberty grew to 351 in 2023, 237 more than in 2013. 2.7% of West Liberty working residents work locally.
3%work in town
| West Liberty | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 34% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 14% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In West Liberty3%
Wheeling26%
Weirton2%
Triadelphia2%
Pittsburgh1%
10 mi
median commute distance
351
jobs based in West Liberty
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 58% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in West Liberty
West Liberty has chilly winters and pleasant summers. West Liberty’s July high is 83°F.
15″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–40°
Spring39–62°
Summer60–82°
Fall43–64°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B−
West Liberty’s typical home value is about $152K
The typical West Liberty home is worth about $152,000, up 5.7% in a year, 14% below the West Virginia typical home. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 1 have a lower share of households owning their home than West Liberty.
$152KZillow home value
Typical home value
West Liberty$152K
West Virginia$177K
+5.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Safety
Crime reported in West Liberty
West Liberty's reported crime rate is well below West Virginia's. The property crime rate in West Liberty is 0.7 per 1,000 residents. Among 32 West Virginia towns, just 1 have a lower violent crime rate than West Liberty.
| West Liberty | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 16.8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
West Liberty0
West Virginia2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
West Liberty0.7
West Virginia10.9
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
1
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
1.4%conserved
1.4%
conserved · 10 of 697 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. West Liberty Town Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 71 attractions →Acrisure Stadium and 51 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Liberty. Close and well known come first.
Big draw36 mi Stadium & arenaAcrisure Stadium
10 mi MuseumMeadowcroft Rockshelter
36 mi LandmarkFort Duquesne
37 mi Stadium & arenaPNC Park
37 mi Stadium & arenaPPG Paints Arena
36 mi LandmarkFort PittSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Acrisure Stadium: Fo2grfr, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Meadowcroft Rockshelter: Lee Paxton, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Duquesne: Sébastien Paquin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · PNC Park: alpineinc, CC BY 2.0 · PPG Paints Arena: Jleedev, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Pitt: Downtown_Pittsburgh_May_2008.jpg: Allie Caufield derivative work: GrapedApe (tal, CC BY 2.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Liberty
19pages on West Liberty
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 91% of WV districts · 1 schoolSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than WV on 15 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$152K typical home · up 5.7% in a yearWork & commuteD−$44K median household income · 351 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 79% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of West Liberty
West Liberty UniversityUniversity or college · Public · West LibertyIn town$8,893 in-state tuitionBethany CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bethany3.5 mi$36,765 tuitionWest Virginia Northern Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Wheeling9.6 mi$4,706 in-state tuition
College town 78 of every 100 West Liberty residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Small town
1,429 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Landmarks
3 places in West Liberty on the National Register of Historic Places.
About West Liberty
Town in West Virginia, US
West Liberty is a town in Ohio County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,557 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Wheeling metropolitan area and is home to West Liberty University.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,224 ft
- ZIP code
- 26074
- Area code
- 304
Questions about West Liberty
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Liberty, WV a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of West Virginia.
Is West Liberty, WV expensive?
That is 2.6 years of the area's median household income ($57,418 across the Wheeling, WV-OH metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.