Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Wheeling, WV

    Is Wheeling a good place to live?

    Watch Wheeling

    Wheeling ranks #3 of 5 West Virginia cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (50/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.9% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $142,500
    +8.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $795
    per month
    Household income
    $48,498
    median
    Unemployment
    6.6%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Wheeling

    The median home value in Wheeling is $142,500 and median rent is $795 a month, against a median household income of $48,498. Homes cost about 2.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Wheeling crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across West Virginia the 2025 rate was 266 violent and 1,094 property crimes per 100,000 people — #41 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Wheeling, WV

    Wheeling has about 26,670 residents, 6.6% unemployment and 19% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Wheeling with

    Wheeling vs CharlestonWheeling vs HuntingtonWheeling vs MorgantownWheeling vs Parkersburg

    More: Where to move in West Virginia · Best counties in West Virginia

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report