The local economy of West Virginia and its counties, metro areas and cities, from official US government data, plus daily local gas prices for the state, its counties and metro areas.
Unemployment rate
4.0%
-0.3 ptsvs a year ago
Counties: lowest Pendleton County 2.8%, highest McDowell County 10.6%.
August 2026, seasonally adjusted, preliminary
Average weekly pay
$1,188
+3.4%vs a year ago
693,317 jobs at 62,989 business locations.
Q1 2026, all jobs
New homes permitted
3,981
-0.5%this year vs last year
Most in Berkeley County 1,248, Jefferson County 1,153.
Homes in the last 12 months, to August 2026
People moving in
+3,106
+2.3 per 1,000residents
36,748 moved in and 33,642 moved out. Most newcomers came from Virginia.
Net people, 2022 to 2023, the newest year published
West Virginia gas price
$4.28
+$1.32vs a year ago
Counties: lowest Marshall County $3.87, highest Pendleton County $4.66. Counties and metro areas
Regular, per gallon, West Virginia, October 10, 2026
Newest data: -. Not seasonally adjusted: compare with the same month a year earlier. Click a row for the history of that area.
The state, its counties and metro areas, updated daily. A separate series from the weekly survey prices above.
Business locations, employees and payroll by industry, 2023. Click an industry for its US report.
Business locations
36K
+0.9%vs 2022
2023, places with paid employees
Employees
551K
+2.0%vs 2022
Largest sector: Health Care and Social Assistance (25.4%).
2023, mid-March
Annual payroll
$28.4B
Wages and salaries paid during the year.
2023, all industries
Average pay
$51,527
Highest sector: Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction $102,866.
Per employee per year
Share of West Virginia's employees, 2023
| Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 53,587 | $68,703 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | 52,033 | $18,692 |
| General Merchandise Stores, including Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters | 16,581 | $29,167 |
| Individual and Family Services | 16,121 | $25,147 |
| Offices of Physicians | 14,061 | $119,601 |
| Coal Mining | 13,109 | $109,109 |
| Employment Services | 11,122 | $44,291 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 10,668 | $67,123 |
| Grocery Stores | 10,097 | $25,569 |
| Traveler Accommodation | 10,025 | $28,143 |
| Depository Credit Intermediation | 9,177 | $62,376 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 9,105 | $38,016 |
Most values are changed slightly to protect the privacy of single businesses; a few are withheld and shown as a range. Counties and metro areas have the same numbers in the area card above (Industries).
Offered pay in certified work-visa filings, fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025). Click a company for its jobs and salaries.
In fiscal year 2025, employers offered a median of $150,000 a year in 447 certified H-1B filings for jobs in West Virginia, up 25.0% from 2024 (US: $120,000). The largest job group was General Internal Medicine Physicians. Fiscal year 2026 so far covers filings decided through Jun 30, 2026.
Median offered pay
$150,000
+25.0%vs 2024
Middle half: $82,923 to $325,000.
H-1B, fiscal year 2025
H-1B filings
447
+36.3%vs 2024
705 positions asked for.
Certified, full-time, fiscal year 2025
Top job group
$303,554
General Internal Medicine Physicians, 64 filings.
Median offered pay of the largest job group
Green card jobs
$81,435
+7.5%vs 2024
68 PERM filings.
PERM median, fiscal year 2025
Median and middle half of the offers in West Virginia, next to the US median. Hover a year for the numbers.
| Job group | Filings | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 64 | $303,554 |
| Physicians, All Other | 63 | $355,000 |
| Software Developers | 19 | $110,000 |
| Industrial Engineers | 19 | $112,000 |
| Cardiologists | 16 | $440,000 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 13 | $94,912 |
| Surgeons, All Other | 12 | $495,000 |
| Pediatricians, General | 10 | $233,122 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 9 | $57,762 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 9 | $82,098 |
| Employer | Filings | Cities |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia University Medical Corporation | 77 | 13 |
| West Virginia University | 44 | 3 |
| University Physicians & Surgeons, Inc. | 27 | 1 |
| Charleston Area Medical Center, Inc. | 25 | 2 |
| Fayette Physician Network, Inc. | 24 | 8 |
| Form Energy, Inc. | 13 | 1 |
| Marshall University | 12 | 1 |
| United Hospital Center Inc | 11 | 1 |
| Camden-Clark Physician Corporation | 9 | 1 |
| West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc. | 8 | 2 |
| City | Filings | Median pay | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown | 130 | $149,521 | $98,648 to $257,034 |
| Huntington | 54 | $172,500 | $83,500 to $249,600 |
| Charleston | 53 | $209,476 | $81,310 to $325,000 |
| Weirton | 26 | $146,724 | $112,750 to $171,162 |
| Martinsburg | 21 | $250,000 | $104,000 to $334,800 |
| Parkersburg | 18 | $396,100 | $354,900 to $542,500 |
| Bridgeport | 14 | $387,500 | $321,340 to $550,000 |
| Beckley | 13 | $340,000 | $80,000 to $355,000 |
| Elkins | 12 | $69,514 | $59,134 to $380,480 |
| Charles Town | 8 | $93,600 | $82,098 to $134,077 |
Yearly pay that employers offered in certified work-visa filings (H-1B, E-3 and PERM green card), from official public data. Pay is the lower end of the offered pay range, for full-time positions only. These are offered pay figures for positions in work-visa filings, not the pay of all employees. A filing is an offer for a position, not a hire, and one person can appear in several filings. Fiscal years run from October to September. Groups with fewer than 3 filings show counts only. Employers are ranked by filings in the cities of West Virginia added up.
Declared disasters and flood insurance claims: what happened, from official public data.
West Virginia has had 86 declared disasters and emergencies since 1954, 54 of them since 2000, most often Flood. Flood insurance has paid $386.7 million on 27,998 claims since 1978; the biggest year was 1996 ($63.0 million).
Declared disasters
54
46 major disasters. Most often Flood (36 since 1954).
Since 2000, all types; 86 since 1954
Flood claims paid
$93.1M
2,749 claims. Biggest year 1996 ($63.0M).
2016 to 2025, flood insurance
Policies in force
9,158
Average premium $1,700 a year.
2025, flood insurance policies
Most-declared county
30
Lincoln County, latest Jan 24, 2026.
Declarations since 2000
Declarations for West Virginia, 1954 to today
Claims paid in West Virginia by the year of the flood, US dollars
Declarations since 1954
Declarations naming the county since 2000; statewide ones not counted
All years since 1978; policies are a yearly average. Top 15 of 55.
| # | County | Claims | Paid | Policies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanawha County | 2,479 | $43.2M | 2,500 |
| 2 | Ohio County | 3,123 | $33.8M | 872 |
| 3 | Logan County | 2,149 | $31.8M | 564 |
| 4 | Mingo County | 1,679 | $30.4M | 398 |
| 5 | Greenbrier County | 943 | $25.7M | 496 |
| 6 | Pocahontas County | 706 | $15.1M | 295 |
| 7 | Wyoming County | 923 | $14.2M | 408 |
| 8 | Wood County | 947 | $13.2M | 504 |
| 9 | Cabell County | 807 | $11.4M | 615 |
| 10 | McDowell County | 1,050 | $9.68M | 243 |
| 11 | Nicholas County | 216 | $8.74M | 126 |
| 12 | Tucker County | 369 | $7.13M | 169 |
| 13 | Brooke County | 488 | $6.38M | 260 |
| 14 | Wetzel County | 498 | $6.36M | 276 |
| 15 | Marion County | 371 | $5.84M | 258 |
A declaration opens federal help after a disaster; it can name counties or the whole state. Flood insurance numbers count insured losses only (most homes have no flood insurance) and are not adjusted for inflation; the current year is data so far. For the flood-zone risk of a place, open the area on the real estate map.
Environmental compliance records, workplace safety inspections and greenhouse gas reports of facilities in West Virginia, from official public data.
Official public data lists 14,172 facilities in West Virginia with records since 2010, 14,033 of them with environmental compliance records. In 2022 to 2026, the largest penalties were at Antero Resources Corporation, John Campbell North in Pullman ($3,800,000). 211 large facilities reported 65.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2023, down 4.5% from 2022.
Facilities with records
14,172
14,033 with environmental records.
Since 2010
Largest penalties
$3.80M
Antero Resources Corporation, John Campbell North, Pullman.
One facility, 2022 to 2026
Greenhouse gases
65.7M t
-4.5%vs 2022
211 reporting facilities.
Metric tons CO2e, 2023
Largest emitter
11.2M t
Monongahela Power Company, Harrison Station, Haywood.
Metric tons CO2e, 2023
| Facility | Penalties | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| Antero Resources Corporation, John Campbell North Pullman | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Antero Resources Corporation, Ness Wellpad Pullman | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Antero Resources Corporation, Charlene Pad Pennsboro | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Antero Resources Corporation, Robert Williams Pad Greenwood | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Antero Resources Corporation, Cofor Wellpad West Union | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Antero Resources Corporation, Eddy Pad Pennsboro | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Antero Resources Corporation, Dotson-Holland Pad West Union | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Antero Resources Corporation, Rock Run Wellpad West Union | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Antero Resources Corporation, Edwin Wellpad Pennsboro | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Antero Resources Corporation, John Richards Wellpa Pullman | $3,800,000 | 0 |
| Facility | Metric tons CO2e |
|---|---|
| Monongahela Power Company, Harrison Station Haywood | 11,179,959 |
| AEP - John E Amos Power Plant Winfield | 8,750,974 |
| AEP Mountaineer Power Plant New Haven | 4,870,115 |
| Allegheny Energy Pleasants Power Station Belmont | 4,583,460 |
| Fort Martin Power Station Maidsville | 4,078,178 |
| Mitchell Plant Cresap | 3,581,212 |
| Dominion Generation - Mount Storm Power Station Mount Storm | 3,562,292 |
| Longview Power Maidsville | 3,499,945 |
| Marion County Mine Metz | 2,090,018 |
| Consol Pa Coal CO - Mcelroy Mine Cameron | 2,055,846 |
Large facilities in West Virginia, metric tons of CO2 equivalent. Hover a year for the number.
Their facilities in West Virginia, 2022 to 2026. Click a company for its Risk & Compliance tab.
| Company | Facilities | Penalties | CO2e (t) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Chemours Company CC | 2 | $20K | 881K |
| Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. CLF | 3 | $15K | 160K |
| American Electric Power Company, Inc. AEP | 18 | $0 | 17.5M |
| Berkshire Hathaway Inc. BRK-B | 7 | $0 | 258K |
| Dominion Energy, Inc. D | 2 | $0 | 3.56M |
| Dow Inc. DOW | 13 | $0 | 83K |
Official public data on environmental compliance records, workplace safety inspections and greenhouse gas reports, summarized by facility and year since 2010. A record does not mean a site is unsafe today; penalties and violations vary a lot by industry and size. Penalties are the amounts assessed (after settlements), not amounts paid. Recent years can still change.
Cost, students and graduate earnings of the colleges in the state, from official public data.
The newest unemployment rate, pay, new home permits, moves and gas price for West Virginia, updated as new official numbers come out.
Unemployment for West Virginia is seasonally adjusted; for its counties, metro areas and cities it is not, so compare a month with the same month a year earlier. Pay covers all jobs that pay into unemployment insurance. Building permits count homes approved to be built, not homes sold. Moves count households by where they filed their tax returns in two years in a row. Daily gas prices are average pump prices for West Virginia, its counties and metro areas on the day shown. The weekly gas prices in the explorer come from a separate weekly survey that publishes a price for only some states, so a state without one shows the price of its region there; the two series are never combined.
The unemployment rate in West Virginia was 4.0% in August 2026 (seasonally adjusted, preliminary), compared with 4.3% a year earlier. 740,961 people were employed out of a labor force of 772,230. Among its counties, Pendleton County had the lowest rate (2.8%) and McDowell County the highest (10.6%, not seasonally adjusted).
Average weekly pay in West Virginia was $1,188 in Q1 2026, up 3.4% from a year earlier, across 693,317 jobs at 62,989 business locations.
Building permits were issued for 274 new homes in West Virginia in August 2026 (267 single-family and 0 in buildings with 5 or more units). From January to August the total was 2,719, down 0.5% from the same months last year, and 3,981 in the last 12 months. The most homes were permitted in Berkeley County (1,248), Jefferson County (1,153), Putnam County (260) over the last 12 months.
Yes. From 2022 to 2023, 36,748 people moved to West Virginia and 33,642 moved away, a net gain of 3,106 (+2.3 per 1,000 residents). Most newcomers came from Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and most people who left went to Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania.
Regular gasoline in West Virginia averaged $4.28 per gallon on October 10, 2026, up $1.32 from a year earlier. Diesel averaged $6.39. Among its counties, Marshall County had the lowest regular price ($3.87) and Pendleton County the highest ($4.66).
Health Care and Social Assistance (139,754 employees), Retail Trade (77,727 employees), Accommodation and Food Services (65,992 employees) were the largest sectors in West Virginia in 2023. In all, 35,839 business locations employed 551,240 people at an average pay of $51,527 a year.
$150,000 a year was the median pay offered in 447 certified H-1B filings for jobs in West Virginia in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), up 25.0% from 2024. The middle half of the offers ranged from $82,923 to $325,000. The US median was $120,000. These are offered pay figures in work-visa filings, not the pay of all workers.
West Virginia University Medical Corporation (77), West Virginia University (44), University Physicians & Surgeons, Inc. (27), Charleston Area Medical Center, Inc. (25), Fayette Physician Network, Inc. (24) had the most certified H-1B filings for jobs in West Virginia in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025).
General Internal Medicine Physicians (64 filings, median $303,554), Physicians, All Other (63 filings, median $355,000), Software Developers (19 filings, median $110,000) were the largest job groups in certified H-1B filings in West Virginia in fiscal year 2025.
$209,476 was the median offered pay in Charleston, the highest among the West Virginia cities with the most H-1B filings in fiscal year 2025 (53 filings).
$81,435 a year was the median pay offered in 68 certified PERM green card filings for jobs in West Virginia in fiscal year 2025.
86 disasters and emergencies have been declared for West Virginia since 1954, 54 of them since 2000 (46 major disasters). The most common type is Flood (36 declarations).
Lincoln County, with 30 declarations since 2000, followed by Kanawha County (27) and Logan County (26). Statewide declarations are not counted for single counties.
$386.7 million on 27,998 flood insurance claims since 1978. The biggest year was 1996, with $63.0 million paid on 4,258 claims. Kanawha County received the most ($43.2 million).
$1,700 a year in 2025, across 9,158 flood insurance policies in West Virginia. Most homes have no flood insurance; the premium depends on the home's flood risk and coverage.