The Town FilesAlderson, West Virginia
Town in Greenbrier County · population 975 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $130,400
- Household income
- $32,212
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 53.3
Alderson is a town of 975 people in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $130,400, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks quieter than 96% of West Virginia towns, better for cycling than 92% of West Virginia towns.
How Alderson ranks
Percentile among West Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of West Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alderson is worth $130,400, close to the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $32,212, which is more affordable than 8% of West Virginia towns. 70.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alderson | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $130,400 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | — | $811 |
| Median household income | $32,212 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.7% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Alderson
| People | Alderson | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.3 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.3% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.4% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 45.8% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 60.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 70.1% | 86.7% |
Weather in Alderson
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 40.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.2 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alderson since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 22, 1990 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 1990.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 26, 2011.
Severe weather in Greenbrier County since 1996
Greenbrier County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| February 26, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4861: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| June 25, 2016 | Flood | DR-4273: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Greenbrier County
Greenbrier County had 12,789 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,155 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Alderson itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Alderson
1 public school with 199 students, about 11.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alderson Elementary | PK-5 | 199 | 11.1 |
Towns near Alderson
- Ronceverte, WV9.5 mi · 1,572 people · home $130,300
- Fairlea, WV10.5 mi · 1,720 people · home —
- Lewisburg, WV12.7 mi · 3,922 people · home $334,900
- Hinton, WV13.6 mi · 2,245 people · home $92,900
- Rupert, WV16.4 mi · 877 people · home $104,000
- Rainelle, WV17.9 mi · 1,190 people · home $80,800
- White Sulphur Springs, WV19.2 mi · 2,221 people · home $117,000
- Shady Spring, WV24.7 mi · 3,169 people · home $188,900
Alderson questions
Is Alderson, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alderson scores better for retirees than 41% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 96%. 28.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.3).
How much does a house cost in Alderson?
The median owner-occupied home in Alderson is valued at $130,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $32,212, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Alderson?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.7 inches of precipitation a year and 12.2 inches of snow.
Does Alderson get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alderson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 22, 1990. The typical West Virginia town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)